LOS ANGELES — Ethnic minorities are the most targeted communities for scam artists, who offer fake services on everything from loan modifications to travel agencies. Many of these “businesses” are convincing and have tricked tens of thousands into buying into their products/services. Even worse, many of these ethnic communities are also too afraid to come forward to report fraud when they have already been victimized by it.
Government agencies like the State Bar of California and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) are partnering with other organizations to collectively prevent these crimes from happening.
“The more people who come forward and report the fraud, the more these complaints help educate us on which scams to investigate and put an end to,” said Thomas Syta, Assistant Regional Director for the FTC. “This is a huge, important issue that we need to address, especially in our immigrant communities.”
Immigration scams are among the biggest cases, especially among the Filipino and Spanish-speaking population. There are hundreds of USCIS scam rings posing as “law offices” to help families obtain green cards and take care of their papers, asking for large sums of money in exchange, and then mysteriously disappearing once the money is handed over.
Many of these unlicensed offices are unlawfully practicing immigration law, health care, or even impersonating federal agencies such as the IRS. They target ethnic communities speaking in their language to establish a more “trusted” relationship with their naïve clients, and then demand them to pay up for services they cannot provide.
“Our communities are so susceptible and vulnerable, easy scam targets,” said Maria Garat, a victim of a packaging scam in which she lost over $1,000. “Sometimes, when you lose, the only thing we can do is sit down and cry.”
“It was very difficult because we trusted that person,” said Luis Serrano, who was duped by a fraud traveling agency.
According to the FTC, which offers an online complaint center and hotline (currently in English and Spanish), many of those who wound up targets of the scammers did not talk to anyone about it. On the other hand, people who complained and reported the scam to the FTC or other legitimate agencies did not fall victim.
“By speaking out and talking about that phone call or threat, which causes you to pause and verify what you are being asked to do and who you are being asked to pay, it makes all the difference!” said FTC Assistant Director in the Bureau of Consumer Protection, Monica Vaca.
The FTC has the power to shut down scams and possibly even return money lost in federal court, and has hosted a number of educational workshops to discuss the serious issue in various ethnic communities, including talks in Chinese, Spanish, and Russian.
“We need to change the way we think. People don’t think this will happen to them, but the fact is, everyone is vulnerable. Even just talking to someone legitimate who can advise you WILL help,” said Rigo Reyes, chief investigator of the LA County Department of Consumer Affairs.
The FTC and the State Bar have already been pushing for Congress to take serious action against this offense. The LA County District Attorney’s office, for example, created an immigration task force to help individuals with concerns. Along with the recently-passed Assembly Bill 1159, scammers posing as attorneys and notary public (known in the community as “notarios”) have been declared illegal, and people are instead recommended to talk to authentic government agencies (like the US Citizenship and Immigration Service or Board of Immigration Appeals) for legal advice and help.
The FTC also stressed the importance of confidentiality and protection from fraud organizations, especially for those who are undocumented. All information is kept confidential, and individuals are never asked about their legal status.
“There are over 2.5 million undocumented immigrants who are living in fear. We need to get more organizations like the State Bar and other big law firms and non-profits on board, to help spread the word and consult others, especially those who are afraid,” said Faith Bautista, Filipina president and CEO of the National Asian American Coalition. “We especially need to use those ‘pro bono’ resources and get people educated on how to spot and avoid scams.”
(www.asianjournal.com)
(LA Midweek February 11-13, 2015 Sec. A pg.1)
