D.A.’s Office Launches PSA to Raise Awareness

 

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr., today called on Meta to take steps to stop imposter accounts from falsely posing as pro bono legal organizations offering immigration services. The D.A.’s Office has received multiple reports of New Yorkers targeted by fake attorneys – supposedly employed by organizations like Catholic Charities – who steal the money unsuspecting victims pay for legal assistance. In a letter to the company, D.A. Bragg asks that Meta protect users from fraud and theft by implementing multiple safeguards on their platforms to reduce the risk of scams. Read the full letter sent to Meta here.

“We are seeing a growing number of New Yorkers being scammed by fake attorneys on Meta’s platforms. This specific scam preys on the perceived vulnerability of immigrants looking for legal assistance. We hope to collaborate to develop a comprehensive approach to protect Meta’s users from fraud,” said District Attorney Bragg.

The Manhattan D.A.’s Office is launching an awareness campaign to prevent New Yorkers from falling for this quickly growing scam.

 

 

Watch out for fake “attorneys” who:

• Communicate only by social media or WhatsApp and never in person at an office.
• Pressure you to electronically transfer upfront fees.  Remember, pro bono organizations like Catholic Charities will never charge you for their legal work.
• Tell you that all meetings and court appearances will be virtual.
• Claim they are moving your case along quickly. This is a lengthy process.

You can avoid these scams by:

• Only going to providers that have a physical location. Do not attend meetings in restaurants or cafes or only online.
• If someone claims to be affiliated with a non-profit, visiting the organization’s website or call the organization to confirm.
• Check whether your attorney is registered to practice in New York (or any other state where they claim to be licensed) by using the state’s attorney search database.

 

The Manhattan D.A.’s Immigrant Affairs Unit

Our Immigrant Affairs Unit prosecutes cases involving scams and fraud affecting New York’s diverse immigrant communities. Whether you are documented or undocumented under federal law, our Office is here to protect your safety. We encourage all victims of immigration fraud to come forward. Our Immigrant Affairs Coordinator, Emely Salazar Perez, focuses on community outreach and providing immigrants with resources to make their transition into Manhattan easier. If you believe you or someone you know has been a victim of this type of fraud, we urge you to call our office’s Immigration Affairs Unit hotline at 212-335-3600 or via WhatsApp at 347-371-0877. Interpreters are available to assist non-native English speakers and we encourage all to reach out regardless of immigration status.

We urge you to take care when seeking legal services, including asking your attorney where they are registered to practice. Our palm card makes it easy to find free legal assistance, search for your attorney’s registration and to check for any disciplinary proceedings against them! Find it in English and Spanish here.

 

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