Whenever someone is awaiting word or notification regarding their immigration status, the wait may seem like forever, and the timeline may be confusing. That wait may make some people in Maryland vulnerable to scams or misinformation. Recently, the U.S. Department of State put out a warning about a scam that is targeting people specifically awaiting word about green card status.
The email looks official, as it actually has the State Department logo on it and proclaims the person as a winner of a green card. It also has a case number and proclaims recipients of the email simply have to claim their green card. The email does have one tale-tell sign of not being legitimate, however. The address ends with .hm or .org. Any email from an official government body will end with .gov.
The warning about the email scam stresses that anyone who is receiving an actual email from the government will not be asked to pay money upfront. The government also doesn’t tell people about their status through an email. Any fees that an applicant owes to any government entity will be due at the time of an appointment and not asked for online.
An individual’s immigration status can be complicated, and a language barrier may make it more so. The green card process for anyone in Maryland can be long and complex also. It may benefit anyone who is currently seeking a green card to know what to expect or a timeline for the process overall as a means of avoiding being taken advantage of.
Source: tucsonnewsnow.com, “Officials warn of ‘Green Card Scam’“, Maria Hechanova, April 21, 2014