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Scams aimed at migrants, visa holders, and newcomers — fake immigration services and deportation threats. (44 scam types.)
Scammers infiltrate a close-knit community — religious, ethnic, professional, or social — and exploit the trust members share to sell fraudulent investments.
A con artist shows a trunk of banknotes dyed black to "hide" them from customs, cleans one note with a magic chemical before your eyes, then sells you the chemical or a share of the stash. The notes are blank paper and no chemical exists.
A confidence scam in which victims are persuaded to exchange their own money or valuables for supposedly 'blessed' cash or objects that are later found to be worthless or stolen outright.
Fake certified mail or legal notices claim a pending court case, debt, or tax matter, pressuring recipients to pay an urgent 'settlement' by phone or online before the issue supposedly escalates.
Criminals who threaten to report someone to immigration authorities unless a payment is made, exploiting fear of deportation as leverage.
Callers posing as immigration enforcement officers threaten imminent deportation or detention to coerce migrants and visa holders into making urgent payments or surrendering identity documents.
Scammers impersonate law-enforcement officers on a live video call, tell the victim they are under a fictitious 'digital arrest', and demand immediate payment to avoid prosecution.
A caller impersonating police, a court, or a government agency claims there is an active arrest warrant against the victim and demands immediate payment to avoid arrest.
Calls claiming a warrant is out for your arrest unless you pay a 'fine' immediately.
Operators who charge fees to file asylum applications, promising to expedite or guarantee the outcome of a process that is free when filed directly.
Fraudsters pose as senior investigators from elite law-enforcement agencies such as the CBI, FBI, or NCA and conduct fake 'interrogations' to coerce victims into paying bribes or providing personal data.
A visitor or caller claims to be conducting an official government census or population survey, using the pretext to gather sensitive personal, financial, or household details, or to demand a payment for participation.
Imposters posing as census officials who harvest identity data or charge fake 'participation fees'.
Services that charge for citizenship test preparation claiming to be official or to improve pass rates through back channels, but provide nothing beyond free public materials.
Fraudulent training and certification programs charge aspiring court interpreters for credentials that are not recognized by any court system, leaving them unable to work in the role they paid to qualify for.
Families of migrant workers or expatriates who die abroad are told by a supposed employer, recruitment agency, or 'cremation liaison' that cremation cannot proceed and ashes cannot be sent home until extra fees are paid.
Operations that sell worthless academic or professional credentials without genuine coursework, recognised accreditation, or any educational value.
Operations that sell worthless or fabricated academic credentials without genuine coursework, accreditation, or educational value.
Scammers offer DNA testing services claiming results will prove family relationships needed for an immigration or family reunification case, charging high fees for tests that are not accepted by the actual immigration authority or are never properly conducted.
Callers and websites posing as health insurance or government health programme enrolment agents who collect premiums, personal data, or fees for non-existent coverage.
Scammers contact families of detained immigrants claiming a bond payment must be sent immediately through an unofficial channel to secure release, exploiting the urgency and fear surrounding detention.
Individuals posing as qualified immigration attorneys who take fees, provide incompetent or fraudulent services, and disappear before clients realise the harm done.
Threats of deportation or visa problems used to extort payment from migrants and visitors.
Scammers impersonate police, federal agents, or government officials and claim they possess evidence of illegal activity by the victim, threatening to arrest or publicly expose them unless a bribe or settlement is paid.
Brokers offer to arrange a marriage to a citizen or resident for immigration purposes in exchange for a large fee, often disappearing with the money, leaving victims with no marriage, no status, and potential legal exposure.
Fraudulent services that charge for notarization or apostille certification but produce invalid or forged documents that fail when submitted to official authorities.
Fraudsters pose as immigration or customs officials and claim the victim's passport has been flagged for seizure due to criminal activity, threatening deportation or arrest unless an immediate payment is made.
A person claiming to be a social worker or child welfare officer contacts a parent or guardian, alleging a concern about their child that requires an urgent home visit, payment, or disclosure of personal details, exploiting fear over losing custody or facing an investigation.
Callers and messages posing as the tax authority demanding urgent payment to avoid penalties or arrest.
Messages claiming you're owed a tax refund to harvest bank details or trick you into 'fees'.
Scammers impersonate immigration authorities by phone, email, or text, claiming a pending application has a problem that requires an urgent 'processing fee,' 'reactivation fee,' or 'correction fee' paid outside official channels.
Fraudulent companies and individuals who charge fees to prepare visa or green card applications but provide worthless or non-existent services.
Threats of visa cancellation or fines unless you pay or share details with a fake 'enforcement' unit.
Sites and agents charging inflated or bogus fees for visas, ETAs and travel authorisations.
Fraudulent job offers, agencies, or services that charge for work permits or visas that are never obtained, or that are forgeries.
A paid tax preparer who refuses to sign your return, often inflating the refund with fabricated figures or diverting it entirely, leaving you legally liable when the tax authority investigates.
A fraudulent or absconding informal money-transfer agent takes cash to send abroad — promising a better rate, no paperwork, and faster delivery than a bank — and the money never reaches the family waiting for it.
Fake "payment processor" jobs, or romance and social contacts, recruit you to receive money into your own bank account and forward it on for a cut — making you the traceable link in a money-laundering chain.
Unqualified 'notarios' and immigration consultants who charge for legal advice they are not permitted to give, often harming clients' cases.
Coordinated hype that inflates a stock or token's price so insiders can sell at the top, crashing it.
Scammers pose as Social Security Administration officials and falsely claim the victim's Social Security Number has been suspended due to suspicious activity, demanding payment or personal information to reactivate it.
Fraudsters combine real and fabricated personal data to create a new 'synthetic' identity, then build credit before vanishing with borrowed funds. Victims often do not realise until a debt collector calls years later.
Fraudulent notifications claiming you have won the Diversity Visa lottery that demand fees before a visa is issued — or fake application services that charge to submit the free official form.
Online partners who request money for visa fees, flight costs, or migration paperwork as part of a plan to supposedly come and live with you.