A New Jersey family said they lost more than $10,000 to someone they believed was an immigration attorney. After sending the money, the family said the person stopped returning their calls.
Attorney Jesús Suday said the family is not alone. From January through September, his firm has heard from dozens of people who said they have been targeted by individuals impersonating members of his team.
“From January to September, I would say at least 50,” Suday said.
Suday said the cases often share several warning signs, including how the person communicates and requests payment.
He said the contact often begins on social media before moving to a messaging service such as WhatsApp.
“We’ve tried to make it as clear as possible to the public that we do not use WhatsApp to communicate with our clients. So that’s one of the red flags. The other red flag is the payment method. At Suday Law, we also do not use Zelle,” Suday said.
NBC10 Responds reached out to WhatsApp and Zelle.
WhatsApp said it urges users to “pause, question and verify” before responding, especially when someone is asking for money.
Zelle warned users to verify who they are sending money to and to only send money to people they know and trust.
Both said they use systems to detect and ban suspicious accounts.
Suday said people should also pay close attention to who is actually receiving their money.
“The payment isn’t being made to Suday Law or it’s not being made to, for example, the owner, Jesus Suday, it’s being made to a random person. And sometimes they do ask, ‘who is this person?’ And they’ll say, it’s the attorney’s secretary, or ‘it’s our bookkeeper,’” Suday said.
Another warning sign is someone making guarantees or promises about the outcome of an immigration case, Suday said.
“They’re saying, ‘We’re gonna win your case. We’re gonna get your detainee out on bond,’” Suday said.
Suday said the people behind the schemes may target families who feel pressure to act quickly.
“You are targeting a vulnerable population of our community, people that, with the current political climate, with the currently immigration climate, are desperate,” Suday said.
Before sending money to anyone claiming to be an attorney or representing a law firm, independently verify the person.
One way to do that is through the appropriate state bar website. Suday practices law in Texas, and a search of his name on the State Bar of Texas website brings up his profile.
Consumers can then use the contact information listed by the bar to reach the attorney or law firm directly rather than using a phone number provided by someone who contacted them on social media.
This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC Philadelphia. AI tools helped convert the story to a digital article, and an NBC Philadelphia journalist edited the article for publication.
