Fake lawyers steal ‘tens of thousands’ from Facebook, WhatsApp users: DA – Yahoo

NEW YORK CITY (PIX11) — Social media users are warned to beware of imposter lawyers offering fake immigration legal services and stealing money from unsuspecting victims, according to Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. The fake attorneys on Facebook and WhatsApp pose as lawyers working for pro bono legal organizations and offer immigration services, Bragg said in an announcement on Friday. So far, victims have had “tens of thousands of dollars” taken from them in fraudulent transfers. Get ongoing crime and safety coverage on our homepage The impostors will pressure their victims into transferring upfront fees and tell them that all court appearances will be virtual, the DA warned. They’ll even claim to be moving along cases quickly, despite immigration proceedings usually being a lengthy process. “We are seeing a growing number of New Yorkers being scammed by fake attorneys on Meta’s platforms,” said Bragg. “We hope to collaborate to develop a comprehensive approach to protect Meta’s users from fraud.” More Local News The DA is now launching an awareness campaign and has sent a letter to Meta urging them to crack down on the accounts by adding a report option for law enforcement, suspending the accounts during investigations and ensuring
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