Watch Senator Rosen’s full remarks aquí.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, during a hearing of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen questioned Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Commissioners on actions the FTC is taking in order to protect immigrant families from fraudulent offers of immigration assistance, also known as notario scams.
“Nevada is home to thousands of immigrant families who make up the diverse fabric of our state and our nation,” dijo el Senador Rosen. “Almost thirty percent of Nevadans identify as Hispanic or Latino. Scammers have targeted members of these communities as they go through the immigration process.”
“One common form of deception are so-called notario scams. While public notaries may perform the duties of attorneys in some Latin American countries, they cannot practice law, give legal advice, or accept legal consultation fees here in the United States. Nonetheless, bad actors will suggest that they can guide an individual through the U.S. immigration process, even though they are not qualified or authorized by federal law to do so,” Senator Rosen continued. “In 2015, the Federal Trade Commission released a fotonovela, or educational graphic novel, to raise awareness about notario scams in the Latino community. Since then, Nevada’s Chief Deputy Attorney General, Mark Kreuger, indicated that “notario” scams are now expanding to Nevada’s AAPI, Ethiopian, and Nigerian communities.”
“Although the 2015 campaign increased awareness about notario scams in our Latino community, what other types of outreach or resources does the FTC have to protect individuals from “notario” scams, and how is the FTC working with state agencies to prevent this?” asked Senator Rosen.
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