Be Careful of TPS Scams
Thursday, June 24th, 2010We have received some reports of people falsely claiming that TPS has been approved and offering to submit TPS applications on behalf of immigrants (for a fee, of course). At this moment, TPS has not been granted for Guatemala, and any such claims are (at the least) incorrect.
Indeed, some of the reports that we’ve seen have made it clear that the offers of assistance are nothing more than a well-orchastrated fraud. While it is despicable that anyone would use such a sensitive topic to scam money from a vulnerable audience, there is (unfortunately) no shortage of despicable fraudsters out there.
So, we urge our readers to protect themselves by keeping the following in mind:
- Don’t believe everything you read or hear. If TPS is approved, it will be announced very clearly in a variety of trusted places, including this site and our sister blog.
- Verify with a trusted source. Regardless of what anyone says, TPS will not be official until it is announced by the Obama administration. Announcements of TPS status (and any other official immigration news) are made on the USCIS press release page.
- You can’t apply for TPS until it is officially announced. Anyone who claims that they can help you prepare your TPS application before TPS approval is announced by USCIS is either mistaken or lying.
We understand that there is a great deal of tension and anticipation surrounding the TPS request, and that this makes for fertile ground for scammers. Please take steps to protect yourself and your loved ones, and don’t let a slick-tongued scam artist take advantage of you. If you or someone you know believes that they are the victim of fraud, contact an attorney or your local police department.