- REMEMBER: If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is!
- If you find yourself starting to feel excited –because you have been told that, very soon, you will have employment authorization and very soon, you will be able to see your parents again in your native country– then it’s time to stop & reflect. Start to ask questions!
- Listen to that little voice inside of you (your intuition)!
- If there are tons of people in the waiting room, it is likely a scam.
- If the attorney seems to practice predominantly on Instagram, Facebook, or other social media (including TV), it may be a scam.
- Even if there is no scam, any high-profile and/or social-media focused attorney may have little to no time for you because you could be one of THOUSANDS, if not tens of thousands of clients. Ask yourself if that is what you really want – especially when the stakes are high.
- If you’re not really sure if the lawyer is actually a lawyer, that is a red flag. Ask for the lawyer’s license number, and the state in which the attorney is licensed as an attorney. A notary is NOT a lawyer.
- If you’re told “YES, YOU HAVE A CASE” after the attorney has talked to you for only a few minutes, that is likely a scam (especially if other, reputable attorneys have said “NO, YOU DON’T HAVE A CASE”).
- Do NOT sign anything unless you understand what it says.
- If the attorney uses “runners” (people who speak your language; who are NOT located inside the attorney’s office; and who recruit clients), that is most likely a lawyer who is running a scam.
- ALWAYS GET A SECOND OPINION before hiring an immigration lawyer. Get a 2nd opinion from a reputable lawyer (not your friends).

How to Avoid Scams
