A Bluffton woman trying to get her brother released from immigration detention lost nearly $7,000 after someone on Facebook allegedly impersonated a real California immigration attorney.
The scam started June 4, according to a Bluffton Police Department report cited by The Island Packet. The victim’s lawyer told police that the woman reached out through a Facebook group called “La liga Defensora EU” and connected with someone claiming to be immigration attorney Janett Cardiel.
Cardiel is a real attorney licensed in California, but she told The Island Packet the person behind the Facebook group was not her. The State Bar of California lists Janett Cardiel as an active attorney, and La Liga Defensora’s website lists her among the firm’s attorneys.
The woman was trying to help her brother while he was in ICE custody. Police say the person she found online used fake immigration paperwork, release claims, and repeated payment demands to turn that family emergency into a $6,936 scam.
The Fake Lawyer Sent Immigration Papers That Looked Official
The scammer allegedly sent the victim approval notices, an order from an immigration judge, and a fraudulent exit ticket claiming her brother had been released from ICE custody. He had not been released, according to the police report cited by The Island Packet.
The documents made the payment demands feel tied to a real legal process. The victim sent $1,450 for processing paperwork, $1,236 for a fine, $3,250 for posting bond, and $1,000 in attorney fees before she stopped hearing from the person claiming to help her.
The victim’s brother has been in ICE custody since June 9 after being arrested in Fitzgerald, Georgia, on June 2, according to the police report cited by the outlet.
The Real Law Firm Said It Was Not Involved
Cardiel told The Island Packet that her firm, The United Firm, La Liga Defensora A.P.C., was aware of the impersonation scam and had reported it to the proper authorities. She also said the firm does not operate in South Carolina.
The impersonation could look convincing to someone searching quickly during a family emergency. The real attorney’s name appears on legitimate attorney listings and firm pages, but police say the Facebook contact was not connected to her.
Families Can Verify Help Before Paying
The Federal Trade Commission says only an attorney or a Department of Justice-accredited representative working for a DOJ-recognized organization is authorized to give legal advice about the immigration process.
Before sending money, families can check the attorney through the state bar where the lawyer is licensed, then contact the law firm through a phone number or website found independently. A number sent through Facebook, WhatsApp, text, or a private message should not be treated as the firm’s real contact information.
For people in immigration proceedings, the Justice Department’s Executive Office for Immigration Review keeps a List of Pro Bono Legal Service Providers and a roster of recognized organizations and accredited representatives. The FTC also says people should not pay for immigration help with gift cards, money transfers, payment apps, or cryptocurrency.
Fake Immigration Help Has Hit Other Lowcountry Families
The Island Packet reported that this was not the only recent immigration-related scam in Beaufort County. In March, a Bluffton man seeking asylum from Nicaragua lost nearly $7,000 after his roommate found a supposed immigration attorney through Facebook.
In that earlier case, the victim reportedly attended a fabricated virtual court hearing and kept paying the fake attorney during the process. The Island Packet also reported that a Hilton Head woman lost $300 in gift cards in January after callers posing as ICE agents claimed her supposed boyfriend had been detained at the Atlanta airport.
The FTC says scammers know the immigration process is complicated and use that confusion against people looking for help. Anyone who already paid a fake immigration lawyer should keep screenshots, payment receipts, phone numbers, account names, documents, and message history, then report the incident to local police and the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.