 |
 |
NEW GREEN CARD SCAM: FICTITIOUS BRIDES AND GROOMS
by Michael J. Gurfinkel, Esq.
Every so often, con artists come up with new scams
to lure people into trusting them with their hard-earned money
to "facilitate" obtaining their green cards.
At one time, unsuspecting aliens filed fictitious
political asylum applications, upon the advice of these scam artists,
who told them to make up stories of persecution, so they could
get work permits. The aliens may have been able to get the temporary
working permit, but a few years later, many of these asylum applicants
were deported.
Many aliens also availed of the general amnesty
and agricultural workers' amnesty programs, by submitting fake
documents, manufactured by the scam artists showing their physical
presence in the United States during the qualifying period of
these amnesties. They, too, later found themselves facing deportation.
Scam artists have also lured many aliens into paying
thousands of dollars, with the promise of an "instant"
green card, claiming they had "contacts" inside the
INS. They would even accompany the unsuspecting victim inside
the INS building, and talk to someone at the counter inside the
INS building, in full view of the victim. The conversation usually
had nothing to do with immigration, and the person at the counter
was not a "contact". The scam artists were only fooling
the alien. The scam artist would then leave the room where the
alien was sitting, and return with the alien's passport already
stamped with a "temporary" green card. This stamp later
turned out to be fake, and was actually stamped from an ordinary
rubber stamp, which the scam artist had in his pocket. The victims
ended up being accosted at the airport upon presentation of the
fake green card stamp.
There are many other ways scam artists cheat victims
out of their hard-earned money. These con artists come up with
bolder and more creative schemes, despite the regular crackdown
by federal authorities.
One of the latest scams to surface involves using
fictitious U.S .citizen brides and grooms. The scam artist would
approach the victim, saying that, for a certain amount (sometimes
for up to $20,000), he could obtain a work authorization for the
alien. Desperate to be able to work legally, the alien goes along.
In reality, the scam artist prepares a petition,
which states that the alien is married to, and is being petitioned
by, a U.S. citizen spouse. However, the supposed bride or groom
does not exist! (It is not even a "fixed marriage",
as there is no actual U.S. citizen involved.) The scam artist
would simulate birth certificates, fake ID's, and other documents,
and forge the signature of the non-existent bride or groom. There
is no marriage ceremony, but instead a fake marriage certificate
will be submitted. In other words, everything is fake. There is
no bride or groom, and no marriage. In some cases, the alien is
already legally married to his or her actual spouse (who is also
an alien), but the petition says the alien is "single,"
and has now married a citizen, as his first and only marriage.
The scam artist would then file the petition, the
adjustment of status application, and work authorization, using
the fake documents. The victim might get a work permit, and is
happy. But the happiness is only temporary. After filing, the
INS calls him for an interview and requires the U.S. citizen spouse
to also be at the marriage interview. The alien thought he bought
himself a lot of time with the work authorization, but the interview
came too quickly. Now, his problems really begin. Obviously, the
victim cannot go to the interview, because there was no marriage
in the first place, so there is no spouse to bring to the interview.
By having the fake petition filed, the victim now has a file or
record with the INS, that would eventually show the fake marriage
and fraudulent petition.
The victim is trapped. In the meantime, the scam
artist has fled with his hard-earned money.
Many people still go to these consultants,
for their immigration problems, and are fooled by the "quick
fix" solutions. But, you cannot obtain legal status illegally.
There is no quick-fix solution to your immigration problem. These
quick-fix approaches can only lead you to a situation worse than
what you are in now, waste your time, and waste your money. If
you need immigration assistance, you should go to a reputable
attorney, who can analyze your situation, and help you find a
legal
way to legalize your status in America.
Back
to Main
|
|
|
