Immigration attorney Denise Cabrera recently warned about scams affecting immigrants in the United States, where people use stolen identities to promise legal services and pocket thousands of dollars. Cabrera, with offices in Santa Ana, California, discovered that her name and license were being used to scam undocumented immigrants, leaving victims with losses of between $4,000 and $6,000 each.
These scams, common on platforms such as Facebook and WhatsApp, put not only migrants’ money at risk, but also their immigration status by causing them to miss important appointments. Cabrera urges those affected to report them, although many fear for their legal status.
How do migrant scams operate?
Scammers create fake Facebook profiles using photos and names of real lawyers like Cabrera.
Once contacted, they move on to WhatsApp to ask for payments for supposed migration services.
Cabrera found out when victims called his office asking about cases that never existed.
In one case, a Salvadoran migrant in Massachusetts sent $2,500 in payments to Zelle for motions and a pardon.
They told him that the fees would come later, but they used fake emails pretending to be from the Citizenship and Immigration Service.
The man noticed something odd when he was told that his pardon was ready in just two months, a process that takes longer.
Cabrera explained that scammers pretend to be from the Department of Homeland Security or the Immigration Service, sending fake PDFs with official logos.
This not only steals money, but leaves migrants vulnerable to deportation orders for missing hearings.
The testimony of a scam victim
A Salvadoran, a resident of Massachusetts, contacted a fake profile of Cabrera on Facebook.
The woman who attended introduced herself as the lawyer and seemed professional.
He gave him a license number that matched the real one, which generated trust.
Paid in stages, always notifying by email.
He noticed that each payment went to a different courier, supposedly from the Immigration Service.
When he hesitated, he called Cabrera’s real office and discovered the deception.
Fearing reprisals, he invented that he was returning to El Salvador to cut off contact.
She lost money and hope, but did not report it out of fear, as the scammer had her address and personal information.
He described the woman as Colombian, about 45 to 50 years old.
Cabrera Recommendations
@abogadadenisecabrera Attorney Denise Cabrera and Mayor Valeria Amezcua explain your rights if you are detained by immigration or if they come to your home. Do not open the door without an order signed by a judge. Do not sign documents without consulting a lawyer. Learn how to protect yourself legally. #immigrationlawyer #latinos #immigrants #immigrants #santaana ♬ original sound – Attorney Denise Cabrera
Cabrera advises to verify the information with the California Bar Association.
Look for the official website, phone number and email; real lawyers do not use accounts like Gmail or Yahoo.
If you can’t go in person, confirm that the consultation matches the Bar info.
Cabrera has a notice on its website as an alert for these migrants.
It is urgent to report to the police, even by telephone, if you are afraid to come forward.
For her, victims must report, as the use of federal logos involves serious charges investigated by the FBI.
However, the police told him that only direct victims can report.
On alert for immigration scams
These scams leave migrants penniless and at risk of deportation.
Cabrera knows of several lawyers who have been impersonated, which aggravates the problem.
Immigrants, desperate to regularize their status, fall easily for false promises.
In the U.S., where there are 11 million undocumented immigrants, these traps exploit vulnerabilities.
Cabrera is angry that they take advantage of those seeking genuine legal help.
Many victims do not report for fear of the authorities, perpetuating the cycle.
Cabrera urges you to do your research before paying, to protect your dreams and finances.
This article was originally published in Nueva News.
