Stage 2: Filing Your Paperwork
Avoiding Fraud
How do I know if I can trust the organization that is helping me?
It has come to our attention that there are people who have been using the logos of reliable nonprofit immigration service providers. This is another form of immigration fraud and should be reported to the authorities immediately. You can call the ONA hotline at 1-800-566-7636.
There are a number of things you can do to determine whether the organization you are working with is trustworthy:
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Nonprofit organizations charge no to low fees for their services. They receive private and public funding for their work, which allows them to offer their services for no or nominal fees.
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If you are interacting with an organization that charges a significant amount of money for filling out immigration forms, one way you can check if they are legitimate is by asking for a breakdown of their fees. Often, scammers will not be able to provide this type of structured breakdown in a timely manner.
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You can see what kinds of fees are charged for filing applications to the government on this site. You will have to pay these fees regardless of if someone helps you with your application. You can also use these numbers to determine how fair the rate you’re being charged is.
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The information that is on the organization’s official website matches the information that you have been provided. For example, if the website has a staff directory, you can check that the person you have been communicating with is listed there.
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Most nonprofit service providers have a phone number visibly listed on their website. You can always call this phone number after interacting with an organization that uses their logo. If necessary, you can go to the organization’s physical address.
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The organization offers you a contract for you to sign that outlines the services they will help you with. Refer to this question (“What can I expect from my immigration lawyer?”) for more information on what you can expect to find in this contract.
How can I tell if I’ve received a fraudulent notice?
With the implementation of increased fees for asylum seekers, new forms of immigration fraud have emerged. Several community members have reached out with examples of fraudulent notices requesting money. Listed below are some tips that you can follow to avoid being a victim of fraud.
Spelling Errors & Formatting Mistakes
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Any major spelling errors are an indication that a notice may be fraudulent.
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Information on the document is formatted improperly, as we also see with the address for the Office of the Principal Legal Advisor.​
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You can refer to the Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project’s page for examples of what authentic notices look like.
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All dates listed on the notice should include the date in the following format: MM DD YYYY. Any notices that have the date as DD MM YYYY are fraudulent. You should pay special attention to dates included in any stamps, as in the example below.​​​
​Suspicious Contact Information
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The email address of the person contacting you does not end with .gov. You should also be wary of addresses that end with ,gov as this is a spelling error.​
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Any barcodes or QR codes, when scanned, lead to pages with suspicious URLs that do not match the URLs of the government’s website (i.e. www.uscis.gov, acis.eoir.justice.gov)​​​​
​​Inconsistencies
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The information does not match the information posted on official websites. For example, the address for the Office of the Principal Legal Advisor is incorrect. ​​​
​​Missing Information & Inappropriate Level of Detail
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Important pieces of information, such as receipt number or USCIS account number, are missing or incorrect.
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The information in the document is inconsistent or vague. For example, in the second notice, the text refers to an agreement between “the Embassy of the UNITED STATES and LATIN AMERICAN COUNTRIES.” An official notice would be much more precise.​​
Inappropriate Method of Communication
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The U.S. government will not contact you via social media (i.e. TikTok, Instagram) or through WhatsApp. They will also not send you a video and demand payment.
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In the instance that you receive an email from the U.S. government, it will only be because you consented to receive electronic notification and they sent you a physical notice with the same information to the address on file.
This is an initial list of features to scan for in fraudulent notices. Please contact one of the providers listed on this page or a qualified immigration attorney in case you would like further support.
We have also heard reports of employees working in the shelters giving community members numbers to call, which have then caused them to receive many notices. Please remember that any notices the U.S. government sends will be addressed directly to you, not delivered through a third party.
Stage 2 Questions
Stage 2: Filing Your Paperwork
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What are my options?
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What is asylum?
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What is TPS?
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What is SIJS?
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Can I apply for both TPS and asylum?
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Can I apply for both SIJS and asylum?
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What is the difference between filing one asylum application as a family versus one application per family member?
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What does it mean if I was admitted on humanitarian parole or via CBPOne?
Preparing & Submitting Your Asylum Application
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How do I fill out my asylum application?
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How do I submit my asylum application?
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What happens after I submit my asylum application?
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How do I apply for TPS?
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What do I do if I do not get my biometrics appointment?
Applying for Work Authorization
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When can I apply for work authorization?
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What are the steps for filing my work authorization?
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What happens after I submit work authorization?
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What do I do if my asylum clock stops?
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How do I know how many days have passed on my asylum clock?
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Why was my work authorization application denied or rejected? ​​​​​​​​​​
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How do I know if I can trust the organization that is helping me?
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How can I tell if I've received a fraudulent notice?