The Federal Trade Commission recently announced action against two websites that operated immigration scams. From the FTC press release:
According to the FTC, defendants Immigration Center and Immigration Forms and Publications, Inc., set up websites that mimic official government sites, and then used the fake sites to steer immigrants to their deceptive telemarketing operation. The websites depicted American eagles, the U.S. flag, and the Statue of Liberty and had URLs such as www.uscis-ins.us and www.usgovernmenthelpline.com. The sites directed consumers to call a toll-free number that an automated voice answered, “Immigration Center.” Consumers were then transferred to a live person who answered, “USCIS” or “U.S. Immigration Center,” and identified him or herself as an “agent,” “immigration officer,” or “caseworker.” The sites also offered counseling and application forms. The counseling was done by telemarketers who did not meet legal requirements to provide immigration services, the FTC said.
