Trust should start with a verifiable role
A polished website, familiar accent, or confident WhatsApp message does not establish professional authority. The Federal Trade Commission advises people seeking immigration legal advice to verify an attorney's standing or a DOJ-accredited representative's recognized organization. A U.S. notary commission or the title ‘consultant’ does not provide that authority.
Ask for a written description of the service before sharing your full file. Is the person translating your words, organizing copies, or providing legal advice? Put the promised work, fee, expected deliverables, and document-return arrangements in writing. A clear scope helps you recognize when the work actually delivered differs from what you understood.
Keep decisions and records under your control
FTC guidance warns against signing blank or false forms, surrendering originals to a helper, and paying to download government forms that are available free. Government filing fees and a provider's service charges are different expenses. Verify each separately rather than accepting an unexplained total labeled ‘immigration payment.’
Create a simple payment record: recipient, date, amount, purpose, and receipt. Keep your own complete copy of every application before submission. Use an email address you control for your records, and keep a separate list of official case numbers. These habits make it easier to identify missing work without depending entirely on the person you paid.
Pause when urgency replaces explanation
The FTC warns about fake government websites and demands involving gift cards, transfers, payment apps, or cryptocurrency. A message that pressures you to pay immediately deserves independent verification through an official channel. You can report suspected immigration scams through the FTC's reporting service and appropriate local or state authorities.
If something has already gone wrong, preserve the advertisement, messages, receipts, and documents as they are. Write a factual timeline and identify any actual agency deadline that may still be running. Reporting misconduct and repairing an immigration filing are separate tasks; seek qualified legal help with the latter. Original Documentation's educational and document-organization support does not replace authorized legal advice or promise an agency decision.