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Anti-Fraud Campaign Against Citizenship Scams Unveiled

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Myriam Silva-Warren

CENTROTampa.com

Published: October 17, 2008

TAMPA - Federal officials are warning immigrants to avoid being ripped off by people offering to help them with immigration paperwork.

Carlos Iturregui, chief of policy and strategy for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, unveiled an antifraud campaign offering people tips, telephone numbers and Web site addresses so they will know how to identify legitimate service providers. The program is a pilot program being offered in Florida first, and is planned to expand into other states, Iturregui said.

"We don't want to hear any more sad stories of someone taking your money and leaving you with promises," Iturregui said.

The only people who can legally represent immigrants before USCIS are lawyers and those accredited by the federal government. For a list of accredited representatives and for information on those who have been sanctioned, Iturregui said, go to www.usdoj.gov/eoir.

"Attorneys are required to have a license. A notary, for example, cannot engage in this kind of paperwork," Iturregui said. "We don't want people to be victims of immigration practice fraud."

Iturregui has toured the country and heard stories of scams involving people who will offer to obtain drivers licenses, green cards and citizenship, and then take thousands of dollars from immigrants and disappear.

Sometimes the victims are illegal immigrants who do not have the option of reporting the scam to authorities.

USCIS spokeswoman Ana Santiago said USCIS will be providing outreach materials to all its offices in Florida, as well as to local community-based organizations and professional organizations.

For information, go to www.uscis.gov/immigrationpractice or call the National Customer Service Center at (800) 375-5283.

Reporter Elaine Silvestrini can be reached at (813) 259-7837.

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