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Fraud and Abuse Prevention Program

The Executive Office for Immigration Review’s (EOIR) Fraud and Abuse Prevention Program (Fraud Program) is a centralized place to make complaints about issues of fraud, immigration scams, and the unauthorized practice of immigration law (frequently committed by notarios, immigration consultants, or so-called “travel agents”). You can make a complaint about any of these issues to EOIR’s Fraud Program by emailing EOIR.Fraud.Program@usdoj.gov. Specific instructions for making a complaint can be found by clicking here.

The Fraud Program investigates complaints of fraud, scams, and unauthorized practitioners, and takes actions to address the issues within EOIR. The Program also makes referrals to law enforcement or disciplinary authorities where appropriate. EOIR’s Fraud Program further supports fraud and unauthorized practitioner investigations, prosecutions, and disciplinary proceedings initiated by local, state, and federal law enforcement and disciplinary authorities. Finally, the Fraud Program provides training for EOIR personnel, outreach materials, and education for the public around these issues.

The Fraud Program works in collaboration with EOIR’s Attorney Discipline Program, which investigates allegations of misconduct associated with practice before the immigration courts and Board of Immigration Appeals to determine whether attorneys or accredited representatives have engaged in criminal, unethical, or unprofessional conduct. For more information about the Attorney Discipline Program, please click here.

Suspected immigration benefit fraud and abuse related specifically to applications and petitions before the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) should be reported to USCIS through the USCIS Tip Form.

More Information About EOIR’s Fraud Program

Submit a Complaint to EOIR’s Fraud Program

For more detailed information on submitting a complaint, click here.

Scam Alert

  • Impersonation of EOIR Employees
    The Fraud Program substantiated a complaint regarding an individual in immigration proceedings who received a call at his home from someone impersonating an EOIR employee. The caller asked for personal information during the call. Please be aware, EOIR employees will never call and ask for personal information or money. If you or someone you know has been contacted by someone claiming to be an EOIR employee who asked for personal information or money, please report it to the Fraud Program.

  • 10-Year Green Card Scam
    The Fraud Program has received complaints regarding attorneys or unauthorized practitioners filing for asylum for some individuals without their knowledge or consent. The individuals are told that the lawyer can get work authorization for them because the individual has been in the United States for ten years or because the individual has a United States citizen child or spouse, and asked to sign a form. The individual is not told that this form is really the signature page for an asylum application. When the individual does not appear for their asylum interview before the Asylum Office, the individual is placed into removal proceedings before the immigration court. Sometimes, the attorney will then withdraw the asylum application and file for a form of relief called Cancellation of Removal for Non-Lawful Permanent Residents. If you are aware of this type of practice, please report it to the Fraud Program.

  • Pocketing Fee Waivers
    We have received complaints of unscrupulous practitioners taking the fee for an immigration application from an applicant, but then filing a fee waiver form on their behalf without their consent or knowledge. When the fee waiver is granted, the practitioner pockets the fee paid by the applicant.

  • Charging for EOIR or USCIS Forms
    The Fraud Program has received complaints of individuals selling EOIR and USCIS forms. Please be advised that all EOIR and USCIS forms are available for free on our websites: https://www.justice.gov/eoir/list-downloadable-eoir-forms and https://www.uscis.gov forms.

Resources

Federal Partners

Non-Federal Partners

Updated February 8, 2024