How Trump's Immigration Policy Spurred a Deportation Scam

For those who thought President Trump’s stance on immigration was the gossamer of election year overpromising, it’s time to adjust that thinking. The administration last week unveiled plans to target all “removable” aliens. It is a staggering number of people: 11 million.

If I told you that Price Waterhouse blamed the envelope mix-up at the Oscars on a practical joke devised by Warren Beatty and provided a link to the story, would you click through? How about if I included a link to a picture of the actual card that made Oscar history?

Fake news is the scam artist’s stock in trade — whether we’re talking about the kind that our 45th president keeps talking about, or something that takes advantage of a trending story.

Scam artists work fast, often riffing off the daily news to build their improvised traps, but sometimes they rip their scams from the headlines and take them to the street. (You can monitor two of your free credit scores for signs of foul play every two weeks on Credit.com.)

That’s what happened last week in reaction to Trump’s immigration policy. Criminals were waiting in the wings to capitalize on it, which inspired thuggish stick-ups and made necessary a warning from the office of New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman.

The alert was issued after raids were conducted nationwide by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). According to reports, hundreds of undocumented immigrants were arrested. It was big news, giving rise to political indignation by opponents of the Trump doctrine and sparking fear among immigrant communities.

Almost immediately, the scams began. According to Schneiderman’s office, four men wearing ICE apparel stopped a man on a street off of Roosevelt Avenue in Queens. They demanded cash. When he refused, they told the man he would be arrested. In another incident that made the news, a man in the immigrant-filled Queens neighborhood was told to hand over $250 or be arrested.

It’s unclear whether the ICE apparel was legitimate or duplicated by the thieves.

ICE gear can be purchased online, but Sallycopshop.com, one purveyor of such apparel, said it requires proof of employment by the law force. (Two other online sites offering ICE gear declined to comment for this article or failed to respond before publication.)

“The customer must ship their work address and have an ICE government email address for items with badges or lettering on it,” a Sallycopshop.com spokesperson said in an email. “We do go through each order individually to validate the customer is a federal agent or officer.”

Although many images of the recent ICE raids feature real officers wearing jackets and body armor clearly marked “ICE,” an agency spokesman told me that ICE officers and agents work in street clothes.

“I’m going to guess there are special requirements for clothing that indicate an official law enforcement capacity,” agency spokesperson Khaalid Walls said.

Regardless of the methods, there are several scams immigrants worried about the specter of ICE arrests need to be on the lookout for. Here are the big three, along with some tips culled from Schneiderman’s recent warning.

1. Fake ICE Agents

The attorney general states that ICE agents will never ask for money or threaten detainment and do not have the authority to enter your residence without a court-issued warrant. If a purported ICE agent knocks on your door, be polite, but firm. The law’s the law. Ask to see badges, and if you still smell a rat, call 911.

2. Beware Phone Calls

Some criminals stay out of sight, preferring to make phone calls that amount to the same sort of “pay or don’t stay” shakedown. Anyone who has read my columns warning of IRS phone scams will recognize this modus operandi — and this next tip. Remember: Just because your caller ID says the caller is from the government doesn’t make it so. Phone numbers can be spoofed. Bottom line: Immigration will not ask for anything important over the phone — not your personally identifying information and not money. If “they” do, hang up.

3. Notario Scams

As Schneiderman’s office points out, notario can be a much bigger and better job in Latin America — with a lot more power — than “notary” connotes in the U.S. In Latin America, a notario is anyone who can perform legal services — including lawyers. Beware people who try to make bank on this linguistic misunderstanding. Whether the claim is to speed up an application or otherwise help you get legal status, be careful. Check credentials and ask for references. If you are met with hostility, say goodbye and find a reputable service.

There are more tips and information regarding common traps and shady practices that immigrants face on the Attorney General’s website, which directs New York residents to report potential fraud or other issues regarding immigration services to its Immigration Services Fraud Unit Hotline at (866) 390-2992 or via email at Civil.Rights@ag.NY.gov. Those outside New York can get in touch with the Federal Trade Commission and file a complaint in their state.

Here is the great irony: Trump’s push to arrest and deport “removable” immigrants has given rise to fake cops, sewing doubt about the immigration enforcement authorities in a way that echoes Trump’s constant refrain of “fake news,” which has dangerously destabilized the public’s trust in our media.

This story is an Op/Ed contribution to Credit.com and does not necessarily represent the views of the company or its partners.

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This article originally appeared on Credit.com.

Adam Levin is co-founder of Credit.com and the chairman and founder of CyberScout (formerly IDT911). His experience as former director of the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs gives him unique insight into consumer privacy, legislation and financial advocacy. He is a nationally recognized expert on identity theft and credit, and is the author of SWIPED: How to Protect Yourself in a World Full of Scammers, Phishers, and Identity Thieves, a practical, lively book that is essential to surviving the ever-changing world of online security. More by Adam Levin