San Diego Officials Warn of Immigration Legal Scams

Scammers are targeting immigrants seeking legal help through texts, social media, and other channels.

Published on Feb. 16, 2026

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The San Diego City Attorney's Office is warning the community about immigration scams targeting people seeking legal advice, including those looking for immigration attorneys. Officials say scammers are reaching potential victims through phone calls, text messages, social media, and even WhatsApp, often requesting sensitive information or upfront payments for legal services.

Why it matters

Fear and uncertainty around immigration law changes are making people more vulnerable to these scams, which can result in victims losing thousands of dollars. Trusted members of the community have also been known to take advantage of this trust to scam immigrants.

The details

Scammers are contacting immigrants through various channels, including phone calls, text messages, social media, and WhatsApp, and requesting sensitive information or upfront payments for legal services. The city attorney is urging people to carefully verify anyone offering immigration legal services, and to make sure the person handling the case is a certified immigration attorney with a reputable background.

  • The San Diego City Attorney's Office issued the warning on February 15, 2026.

The players

Heather Ferbert

The San Diego City Attorney who is urging people to carefully verify anyone offering immigration legal services.

Pedro Rios

The director of the American Friends Service Committee, who said fear and uncertainty around immigration law changes are making people more vulnerable to these scams.

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What they’re saying

“There's a lot of desperation right now in the community. A lot of people don't know what, changes are taking place in immigration law, and that makes them prone to being susceptible for scams. So people that want to take advantage of them and, any sort of offer that might give someone hope opens up possibility of them being, scammed from people that are just wanting to take advantage of the situation.”

— Pedro Rios, Director, American Friends Service Committee

“Point number one is to ensure that if this is about an immigration case, that the person they're seeing is an immigration attorney, not someone who's not certified. So someone who's an immigration attorney who has, reputable, background, someone who is able to provide a contract with clear instructions about how payments should be made and the expectations for the outcome of the case.”

— Pedro Rios, Director, American Friends Service Committee

What’s next

Officials are urging anyone who believes they have been a victim of this type of scam to report the incident to local police, the California Department of Justice, and the State Bar of California.

The takeaway

This case highlights the vulnerability of immigrant communities to scams, especially during times of uncertainty around immigration laws. It underscores the importance of thoroughly vetting any individual or organization offering immigration legal services to avoid falling victim to these types of scams.