When a Scam Looks Real — Down to a Fake Courtroom
- Catholic Charities
- 10 minutes ago
- 2 min read
Scammers May Be Impersonating Catholic Charities and Other Trusted Organizations
When Regina came to Catholic Charities of Denver, she had already lost $6,000.
Everything about her case seemed legitimate. She was given official-looking immigration documents. She attended what appeared to be a real court hearing. The person helping her used professional language and provided paperwork that looked like it came directly from immigration authorities.
But none of it was real.
“I thought my case was moving forward,” Regina said. “I trusted them.”
By the time she realized what had happened, the money was gone, and so was the person she had been working with.
Unfortunately, Regina’s story is not unique.
The Catholic Charities Immigration Legal Team, which has provided assistance to low-income and indigent immigrants throughout Colorado since 1974, is seeing a rise in sophisticated scams targeting individuals and families. These scams often involve fake court hearings, fraudulent USCIS notices and even the use of real attorney names and license numbers to build trust.
“These are not obvious scams,” said April Palma Roberts, director of immigration legal services for Catholic Charities of Denver. “They are designed to look real and to take advantage of people who are trying to do the right thing.”
Many scammers contact individuals directly through social media or messaging apps like WhatsApp, creating urgency and asking for quick payment through apps like Zelle or Cash App.
Catholic Charities, which serves the Archdiocese of Denver, wants the community to know that this is not your fault.
If you or someone you know has been impacted by a scam, there are resources available to help and to report what happened.
“Immigrants and their families living in fear and looking for help navigating the immigration system should be able to turn to qualified professionals. Know your rights. Only an immigration attorney or a representative working for an authorized organization can give legal advice. Anyone who believes they have been scammed should contact the Colorado Attorney General’s Office at stopfraudcolorado.gov. We are committed to holding accountable fraudsters who deceive or steal from immigrants,” said Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser.
If you are navigating the immigration system, you deserve trustworthy, qualified support.
As the state attorney general reminded, only licensed attorneys or Department of Justice-accredited representatives are authorized to provide legal advice. Anyone promising guaranteed results, rushing you to pay or contacting you out of the blue should be approached with caution.
Regina is now working with a trusted legal team and beginning to rebuild.
“I wish I had known what to look for,” she said. “I don’t want this to happen to anyone else.”
By sharing stories like Regina’s, we hope to protect others and remind our community that if you or someone you know needs help, you are not alone.
* Name changed to protect privacy
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