A warning about ‘FREE’ immigration legal and consultation services

If it’s too good to be true…it must be a scam.

On Facebook, we see a lot of advertisements offering “FREE legal services,” “FREE immigration consultation & case Analysis,” “FREE immigration advice” or  “FREE immigration legal consultation…no appointment is necessary.” And there would by images of lawyers or the weighing scale logo purporting to show that ‘justice is blind.’

Sometimes, the pitch is ethnicity-specific: “FREE immigration consultation for Filipinos” or “immigration solution for Filipinos.”

On April 10, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg called on Meta – the company that owns Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Messenger, and Threads — to crack down on scammers and imposter accounts falsely posing as pro bono legal organizations and attorneys. These scammers offer fraudulent immigration legal services via Meta’s platforms specifically Facebook and WhatsApp, sometimes posing as legitimate legal service organizations. 

“These imposter accounts have led to tens of thousands of dollars of fraudulent transfers,” Bragg said in a letter to Meta chief Mark Zuckerberg. “Scammers frequently target immigrant populations because they are perceived to be, and often are, more vulnerable to fraud and in need of a specific type of legal assistance.”

His letter further states: “Your company has made representations about the importance of the safety and security of your platform for its users…If you sincerely wish to protect the safety of your users from fraud, we urge you to take necessary, proactive steps.”

Murad Awawdeh, president and CEO of the New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC) echoed Bragg, saying in a statement:

“Immigrant New Yorkers should be able to seek legal help with confidence, but scammers increasingly prey on the vulnerable via social media. Meta is failing to adequately prevent and remove fraudulent accounts, such as those impersonating real organizations offering pro-bono legal services or others claiming to be real lawyers offering immigration services.

“Meta is allowing deception and abuse to continue on its platforms, and in this way, it aids scammers who cheat vulnerable and often desperate immigrant New Yorkers.”

The NYIC thanks District Attorney Bragg for bringing attention to this issue and calling for accountability.

It says, “Meta and other social media platforms must do more to take responsibility and protect users from exploitation, shut down impersonation scammers, and strengthen safeguards on social media platforms. At the same time, New York must continue to invest in legal services so immigrant New Yorkers can connect with legitimate, accredited attorneys, and access the trusted support they deserve to preserve the safety and stability of their families and ensure equal access to due process.”