Catholic Charities of Louisville is warning residents of a scam targeting immigrant families.
The organization issued a press release this week on what they described as “a sophisticated and escalating immigration-related fraud scheme” that is affecting the organization’s clients and others in the immigrant community.
According to the release, scammers harvest attorney names and bar numbers from publicly-available state Bar websites and use the information to impersonate real, licensed immigration law practitioners to take advantage of families looking for representation. Many of the scammers use the name of Catholic Charities USA or Catholic Charities of Louisville in their posts. The scammers are primarily using WhatsApp, Facebook, TikTok, and other social media platforms, and some use fake letterhead and fraudulent agreements to appear official.
Catholic Charities says if someone is contacted through social media and asked to pay for immigration legal services, it is a scam. Furthermore, Catholic Charities does not solicit clients through social media, does not offer loans, and does not request up-front payments through digital platforms.
Research a potential attorney or law firm by checking the Department of Justice’s list of accredited individuals and recognized organizations. Learn more about trusted immigration services and fraud protections by visiting consumer.ftc.gov.
