Safety First: Learn How to Identify Immigration Fraud

At Kingston, Martinez & Hogan LLP, client safety is at the heart of everything we do. Protecting you from immigration fraud is an important part of our mission and our commitment to the broader immigrant community in the United States.

Scammers often target people who are navigating the immigration system, using fear and confusion about the process to pressure them into paying money or sharing personal information. We have heard from many individuals who were contacted by impostors pretending to be lawyers or immigration authorities telling them they can help them with their immigration matter. In many of these cases they demand urgent payments and threatening negative consequences if they did not comply.

We want you, your family, and your loved ones to be prepared. Knowing how to identify fraud can help you avoid becoming a victim.

Be Aware of Immigration Scams 

WE WILL NEVER ASK FOR PAYMENT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA WEBSITES OR THROUGH WHATSAPP.

Please do not send any money, wire transfers, gift cards, cryptocurrency, or payment information to anyone claiming to represent our office through WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Telegram, Cash App, Zelle, or similar messaging applications social media.

We do not communicate with clients through social media accounts.

We will not ask you to discuss your case, share personal documents, or send payments through Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, or any other social media platform.

Be cautious of anyone claiming to be an immigration officer, immigration judge, or government official.

  • USCIS will not conduct interviews via video platforms such as Zoom.
  • The immigration court will not use Zoom for any court hearings.
  • If you think you have a hearing with an immigration judge, call the Executive Office for Immigration Review automated case information system at 1-800-898-7180 to verify your court date and time.
  • If you receive an unexpected phone call, message, or email from someone who says they are from “immigration,” – Do not provide personal information such as your Social Security number, A-number, bank information, or passport details. Hang up and take a screenshot of that call.

How to Know it’s Really Us

If you receive a call, text, email, or other message from someone claiming to be an attorney or staff associated with Kingston, Martinez & Hogan LLP, use the checklist below to confirm that you are speaking with an official representative of our firm:

Our main client contact number is 805-963-9585.

If you are ever unsure about a call, text, or voicemail, hang up and call us directly at 805-963-9585 ext. 0.

Our staff always sends email communication from email addresses ending in @kmhimmigration.com.

If you receive an email about your case from any other domain (for example, Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, or a similar address that does not exactly match @kmhimmigration.com), do not reply, click links, or open attachments. Call our office to confirm.

Our only office location is 1300 Santa Barbara Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101.

We offer consultations and appointments at our official office location in Santa Barbara. We do not conduct legal consultations from any other address or unofficial meeting space.  If someone claiming to represent our staff states they are located in another state or country, please be advised that it is fraudulent and contact our office directly.

What To Do If You Suspect Fraud

If you think you may have been contacted by a scammer pretending to be one of our attorneys or staff, or if something about a message does not feel right:

Stop all communication with the suspected scammer.

Do not send any money or share additional personal information.

Take screenshots or save copies of the messages, emails, or caller ID information.

Report the account or message to the social media platform

Call us at 805-963-9585 ext. 0 to verify and receive guidance.

 

If you are unsure whether a communication is legitimate, please contact our office directly to verify before taking any action.

Protecting Yourself and Your Community

By staying informed and cautious, you help protect not only yourself, but also your family, friends, and community members who may be targeted by similar schemes. If you learn of a new scam or suspicious pattern, please share it with us so we can help warn others.

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