(CALIFORNIA) Catholic Charities USA (CCUSA) and local affiliates across the San Francisco Bay Area are warning immigrants that scammers are using the charities’ names to sell fake immigration legal help, often through WhatsApp and social media messages that demand quick payment. Catholic Charities East Bay said the impostors claim people must pay to “enroll” in programs that can lead to visas, green cards, or citizenship, then ask for sensitive personal details such as Social Security numbers and home addresses. Payments are pushed through Zelle and similar transfer apps, the agency said. The warning comes as demand for help keeps rising.
Recent reports and how the scam works
Officials at Catholic Charities East Bay said reports have grown in recent weeks, with callers describing messages that look like staff outreach but are not. Mario Alioto, the agency’s chief executive officer, and Ashley Byers-Cosgrove, managing attorney for its immigration legal services, described a common fraud pattern:
- It often begins with a friendly greeting and a promise to speed up a case if a fee is paid first.
- Victims are then pressed to send identification documents or fill out forms by text, email, or direct message.
- In several cases, scammers used logos and office addresses to seem legitimate.
- Payments are pushed through peer-to-peer transfer apps like Zelle, which are fast and often irreversible.
“Do not respond, engage, or provide information; save messages as evidence.”
— Catholic Charities’ guidance to the public
What Catholic Charities advises victims to do
Catholic Charities’ public guidance is blunt and specific:
- Do not respond, engage, or provide information to suspicious messages.
- Save messages as evidence.
- Contact a local Catholic Charities agency immediately if a caller or message claims to be from CCUSA or an affiliate but asks for:
- Cash transfers or gift cards
- Personal data (e.g., Social Security numbers, bank details)
- East Bay residents can report suspected scams:
- Phone: (510) 768-3100
- Email: [email protected]
If someone already sent money or shared sensitive data, Catholic Charities recommends:
- Contact your bank or credit card company immediately to report the loss and ask about reversing payments.
- Keep screenshots, phone numbers, and email addresses linked to the fraud — this can support reports to law enforcement.
- Report the incident to Catholic Charities so staff can confirm whether a contact was legitimate.
Why quick action matters
- Transfers through Zelle and other peer-to-peer systems can move quickly and are hard to recover once funds are withdrawn.
- Advocates note immigrants are often targeted because fear and language barriers make reporting harder.
Genuine Catholic Charities services — what to expect
Catholic Charities wants people to know that real help exists and that it rarely begins with a random message. Key facts about legitimate services:
- Immigration legal services are offered at low cost or free, with fees that can be waived for households earning under 250% of the Federal Poverty Level.
- Work is done by U.S. Department of Justice-accredited representatives or licensed attorneys, authorized to give immigration legal advice.
- The nonprofit does not ask clients to pay by Zelle and does not recruit through WhatsApp blasts or late-night social posts.
- Many legitimate services involve federal forms — scammers often name-drop these to sound official.
Services the agency can assist with
- Family-based visa petitions
- Green card applications and renewals
- Naturalization
- Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)
- Temporary Protected Status (TPS)
- Certain waiver requests
Note: The agency does not represent people in immigration removal court.
Common federal forms scammers reference
| Form | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Form I-130 | Petition for Alien Relative |
| Form I-485 | Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status |
| Form I-90 | Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card |
| Form N-400 | Application for Naturalization |
| Form I-821D / Form I-821 | DACA and TPS applications (available on USCIS online) |
Fees, appointments, and office procedures
- The initial consultation fee is $60, but this fee can be waived based on income.
- Consultations are scheduled by phone appointment.
- Accepted payment methods: cash, money orders, or checks.
- Scammers often:
- Ask for payment through apps like Zelle
- Refuse to provide a receipt or office address
The agency urges anyone who is unsure to call the main line rather than reply to a message thread alone.
Office locations (East Bay)
- Concord: 2120 Diamond Blvd, Suite 220
- Oakland: 433 Jefferson St
- Richmond: 217 Harbour Way
Clients should expect staff to clearly identify themselves and to communicate through official channels, not personal social media accounts.
Wider trend and resources
- Other Catholic Charities affiliates across California reported similar impersonation attempts; CCUSA said the trend is not limited to one city.
- Analysis by VisaVerge.com indicates scam reports rise when legitimate immigration pathways become crowded and backlogged, leaving families desperate for quick fixes.
CCUSA pointed people to the Catholic Legal Immigration Network (CLINIC) for fraud-prevention tools and “Know Your Rights” materials that explain who can legally offer immigration services.
Federal resources and warnings:
- Many states have notarios and unlicensed consultants who advertise like lawyers but are not allowed to practice law; using them can lead to missed deadlines or incorrect filings.
- The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) provides guidance on avoiding scams: USCIS Avoid Scams.
Catholic Charities urged immigrants to verify any offer before paying.
Organizational context and impact
- CCUSA said its agencies have served vulnerable migrants since 1910.
- The charity emphasized that its work is humanitarian and lawful, not tied to political campaigning.
- Impersonation harms are personal and severe:
- Families may lose savings meant for rent
- File-sharing can put children’s information at risk
- Trust in legal aid erodes
Catholic Charities East Bay noted some immigrants fear that complaining could affect a case, even though the scam has nothing to do with USCIS decisions. The nonprofit said it does not have names of victims to release publicly and urged continued caution.
Catholic Charities USA and its East Bay affiliate warn of scammers impersonating agency staff via WhatsApp and social media, demanding payments through Zelle and collecting sensitive information. Real services are provided by DOJ-accredited representatives or licensed attorneys and often cost little or nothing; consultations can be waived and accept cash, money orders, or checks. Victims should save messages, contact banks to report transactions, and verify contacts through official Catholic Charities phone or email.
