How
to Protect Yourself from "Notarios" and Paralegals.
If you haven’t
notice it yet, one of the key themes of the immigration
test website is for you, as an immigrant to protect
yourself and know your rights. Immigration law is
complex and most immigrants do not understand the
myriad of U.S. immigration forms, or the different
laws that apply to them.
One of our
primary missions is to give people enough information
that they can know when someone is trying to take
advantage of them. Whether you are looking for assistance
with the immigration and naturalization service, American
citizenship, or a USA work visa, there are people
eager to steal your money.
The following
report is reproduced from our Firm’s
Immigration Legal Experts, Inc.'s website . We
hope you find it useful. You can find more useful
information there, including our
Firm's homepage, which basically tells you what
qualities to look for when hiring an immigration attorney.
It's a sad
fact that people will prey on the most vulnerable
members of society. Immigrants are often scared to
report abuses because of their status or because they
originate from countries with authoritarian governments.
As a result, theft and fraud run rampant in immigration
law.
This problem
is especially prevalent for notaries, who take advantage
of confusion surrounding their title. In Latin countries
a "notario" is a highly educated person, often surpassing
the training of lawyers in that country. In the United
States, a notary doesn't even require a high school
diploma. An internet search for the words "notary
test" actually return an offer to "Become a Notary
for $99"
According
to AILA, "non-lawyers who advertise as legal 'consultants'
or 'notarios' are not authorized or qualified to help
with immigration matters.
By promising
too much- and knowing too little- unauthorized consultants
often shatter immigrants' dreams. Many are little
better than scam artists, taking their clients' trust
- and money - and never having to answer for the results.
It is against the law for "public notaries or even
foreign lawyers to provide immigration advice."
In 2004 the Texas
Better Business Bureau issued a notice for immigrants
to beware of notaries. This was after receiving complaints
from over 100 clients whose documents were done wrong
or had never been submitted. The problem is so widespread
that in 2005, the wife of a Georgia State Senator
was ordered deported. She was the victim of a notary
posing as a lawyer. He filed for asylum without telling
her! Just because you are an immigrant does NOT mean
you have no rights! Have you been taken advantage
of? Call us. We file suit against notaries and paralegals
who take advantage of immigrants. We will fight for
you! Take a look at our other website for
14 ways to protect yourself from fraud. The website
is a free service we provide to the community. |
