A New Jersey family has lost more than $10,000 after sending money to someone they believed was a real immigration attorney.
NBC Philadelphia reports the family said contact stopped once the payment went through.
Attorney Jesús Suday says his firm has heard from dozens of people from January through September who were targeted by impostors claiming to work for his team.
“From January to September, I would say at least 50.”
He says the pitch often starts on social media, then moves to WhatsApp, with payments pushed through Zelle to people who are not the firm or Suday himself.
“We’ve tried to make it as clear as possible to the public that we do not use WhatsApp to communicate with our clients. So that’s one of the red flags. The other red flag is the payment method. At Suday Law, we also do not use Zelle.”
Scammers also promise guaranteed wins or bond releases, and may call the recipient a secretary or bookkeeper when the family questions the name on the transfer.
“They’re saying, ‘We’re gonna win your case. We’re gonna get your detainee out on bond… You are targeting a vulnerable population of our community, people that, with the current political climate, with the current immigration climate, are desperate.”
WhatsApp urged users to slow down and verify requests before taking action, particularly when someone asks them to send money.
Zelle similarly advised users to confirm the recipient’s identity and only transfer funds to people they know and trust.
Both companies said they have systems in place to identify and ban accounts linked to suspicious activity.
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Disclaimer: Opinions expressed at The Daily Hodl are not investment advice. Investors should do their due diligence before making any high-risk investments in Bitcoin, cryptocurrency or digital assets. Please be advised that your transfers and trades are at your own risk, and any losses you may incur are your responsibility. The Daily Hodl does not recommend the buying or selling of any assets including cryptocurrencies, nor is The Daily Hodl an investment advisor. Please note that The Daily Hodl participates in affiliate marketing.
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