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Mike Caulfield created the SIFT framework to help people evaluate the information they find online.

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Don’t believe what you see – digging deeper for the truth – Linking Learning

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How can students get better at sorting truth from fiction from everything in between? At applying their attention to the things that matter? At amplifying better treatments of issues, and avoiding …

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We created this guide to help you apply the SIFT framework to potential scams.

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Check out this US Letter designed by mndz.

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This page from the US Citizenship and Immigration Services lists many of the most common types of immigration-related scams and provides guidance and links to learn more.

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Use this information to avoid common immigration scams. If you suspect you are a victim of immigration fraud, you can report it to the Federal Trade Commi

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This page from the Federal Trade Commission lists some common immigration scams and provides a helpful list of resources for finding legal representation and reporting immigration scams.

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How To Avoid Immigration Scams and Get Real Help

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Learn where to go for legitimate immigration help and avoid dealing with a scammer.

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This site created by the American Immigration Lawyers Association provides information and resources for reporting fraudulent immigration lawyers and finding legal assistance and advice.

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The Federal Trade Commission is the nation's consumer protection agency. It collects complaints about companies, business practices, and identity theft under the Federal Trade Commission Act along with other laws it enforces or administers. Complaints to the FTC help the agency detect patterns of fraud and abuse.

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This page from the DC Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking discusses scammers who impersonate ICE or DHS agents.

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The District of Columbia Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking (DISB) warns the District's immigrant community to be on the alert for con artists pretending to be agents of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), or local police.

The Scam

An immigrant gets a telephone call from someone pretending to be an ICE agent. The agent informs the victim that he or she has violated immigration law(s) and is in immediate danger of arrest and deportation. In a threatening tone, the agent scares the immigrant victim into revealing their date of birth, social security number, credit card number and other personally identifiable information. The scammer tells the victim that the only way to avoid arrest and deportation is by paying thousands of dollars in immigration fees and fines.

Con artists will often call from a phone that will appear on Caller ID as an official ICE number. They can even use the official ICE website to convince their victims of their authenticity. While the ICE agent impersonator is on the phone with the victim, another scammer pretending to be a local police officer will call the victim using a fake telephone number that looks like a police number. The police impersonator states, in a very intimidating manner, that an arrest warrant has been issued and that officers are on their way to place the victim under arrest (sometimes the recorded sound of police sirens can be heard in the background).

The fake police officer proceeds to tell the victim to cooperate and pay whatever amount the fake ICE agent is requesting; only by paying ICE can the victim avoid immediate arrest and deportation. The panicked victim is instructed to navigate to the official ICE website and read the immigration bond form. An immigration bond is commonly used to help release a noncitizen from ICE custody pending their deportation hearing.

At this point, the fake ICE agent demands that the victim pay $3,999 or some other amount to stop the investigation and vacate the arrest warrant. The terrified victim complies by sending the money to the scammers, which is then lost and not recoverable.

Remember

ICE Agents and local police do not call immigrants on the phone to warn them that they are about to be arrested and deported for violating immigration laws;

Agents do not request financial information (e.g., bank account and credit card account information) or demand money from someone to dismiss an investigation or vacate an arrest warrant.

You can report suspected ICE agent fraud to the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General at 1-800-323-8603, and police officer impersonation to the Metropolitan Police Department Financial Crimes and Fraud Unit at (202) 727-4159. You may also contact DISB's Enforcement and Consumer Protection Division at (202) 727-8000.

Learn how to avoid other scams by visiting disb.dc.gov/page/consumer-scams.

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The District of Columbia Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking (DISB) warns the District's immigrant community to be on the alert for con artists pretending to be agents of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), or local police.

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This resource created by a cybersecurity research group at Dakota State University provides tips for avoiding and detecting scams on WhatsApp, as well as guides to managing your profile's privacy.

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This page from the Federal Trade Commission provides details on a variety of scams spread through text messages and provides resources for avoiding and reporting them.

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If you have a cell phone, you probably use it dozens of times a day to text people you know. But have you ever gotten a text message from an unknown sender? It could be a scammer trying to steal your personal and financial information. Here's how to handle and report unwanted text messages.

Spam Text Messages and Phishing

Scammers send fake text messages to trick you into giving them your personal information - things like your password, account number, or Social Security number. If they get that information, they could gain access to your email, bank, or other accounts. Or they could sell your information to other scammers.

Scammers often try to get you to click on links in text messages by promising you something. Scammers might

offer you a low or no interest credit card - but there's no deal and probably no card

promise to help you pay off your student loans - but they won't

Scammers also send fake messages that say they have information about your account or a transaction. Scammers might

say they've noticed some suspicious activity on your account - but they haven't

claim there's a problem with your payment information - but there isn't

send you a fake invoice and tell you to contact them if you didn't authorize the purchase - but it's a scam

send you a package delivery notification- but it's fake

The messages might ask you to give some personal information - like how much money you make, how much you owe, or your bank account, credit card, or Social Security number - to claim your gift or pursue the offer. Or they might tell you to click on a link to learn more about the issue. Some links might take you to a spoofed website that looks real but isn't. If you log in, the scammers then might steal your username and password.

Other messages might install harmful on your phone that steals your personal or financial information without you realizing it.

What To Do About Spam Text Messages

If you get a text message you weren't expecting and it asks you to give some personal or financial information, don't click on any links. Legitimate companies won't ask for information about your account by text.

If you think the message might be real, contact the company using a phone number or website you know is real. Not the information in the text message.

There are many ways to filter unwanted text messages or stop them before they reach you:

On your phone
Your phone may have an option to filter and block spam or messages from unknown senders. Here's how to filter and block messages on an iPhone and how to block a phone number on an Android phone .

Through your wireless provider
Your wireless provider might have a tool or service that lets you block calls and text messages. Check out , a website from the wireless industry, to learn about options from different providers.

With a call-blocking app
Some call-blocking apps also let you block unwanted text messages. Go to for a list of call-blocking apps for , BlackBerry , , and phones, or search for an app online. Check out the features, user ratings, and expert reviews.

How To Report Spam Text Messages

If you get an unwanted text message, there are three ways to report it:

Copy the message and to 7726 (SPAM). This helps your wireless provider spot and block similar messages in the future.

Report it on the messaging app you use. Look for the option to report junk or spam.

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How to Recognize and Report Spam Text Messages

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Find out what you can do about unwanted text messages and how to report them.

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This page from the University of Michigan provides information on some common text message scams and provides tips on avoiding having your information stolen.

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Text Message (SMS) Scams—Smishing | safecomputing.umich.edu

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What Is Smishing? Smishing—or SMS/text message phishing—is the use of text messaging to steal personal information and money and commit fraud. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) provides helpful information at How to Recognize and Report Spam Text Messages. Help educate your community with the printable Text Messsage Scams or Smishing poster from ITS Information Assurance.

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This page from the US Citizenship and Immigration Services provides information about reporting suspected immigration scams.

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Have you been a victim of an immigration services scam, and need to find help? Use this page to learn how and where to report immigration scams.

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Maryland Attorney General - File a Consumer Complaint

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Maryland Attorney General - File a Consumer Complaint

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This page provides instructions and links on filing a complaint with the Maryland Attorney General.

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​

Please use our Complaint Portal to file your complaint. ​ Please note that all comments or complaints related to the federal administration's executive orders, including actions that are being taken by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), should be filed here.​​

If you prefer, you may download a printable version of our consumer complaint forms below under "Choose Your Complaint Form".

If you are a Maryland consumer and have a dispute with a business, or if you live in another state and your dispute involves a transaction that occurred in Maryland, you can file a complaint with the Consumer Protection Division. Through mediation, we will work with you and the business in an effort to reach a mutually agreed-upon resolution to the dispute.

Note: Complaints submitted to our office become matters of public record. Under state law, public records are subject to public information disclosure requests. However, all or part of the complaint may remain confidential as required or permitted by Maryland's public records law. For example, confidential financial information, and medical or psychological information about an individual will not be disclosed to the public.

Instructions to File a Complaint Online

1. Gather your documents.

Gather any documents that are relevant to your complaint, such as receipts, contracts, leases, repair orders, or sales agreements. You may need to refer to these documents while you are filling out the complaint form.​

2. Register for our Complaint Portal to complete your complaint online

When selecting an online complaint form you will be directed to our online complaint portal. On that page, register for an account by selecting Register in the top right corner of the page. Once your registration is complete, you can start a new complaint by choosing the complaint type from the list on the left of your screen or by selecting the Consumer Complaints tab at the top of the page. Be sure to read the Important Information for additional forms and instructions.

3. Send us your Documents

If you file your complaint on our complaint portal, you can attach documents at the time of filing or later by going to the My Cases tab on the top menu bar of the portal and selecting "Add File." Be sure to add your documents to an open case as documents added to a closed case will not be reviewed. If you have more than one open case, each case will be listed by case number with separate "Add File" buttons so you can select the correct case to add your documents. Be sure to read the Important Instructions about uploading documents because not all document types can be accepted. If you have documents you can't submit through the portal you can email, mail, or fax them to us.

You can mail, email, or fax your documents to:
Office of the Attorney General
Consumer Protection Division
200 St. Paul Place, 16th Floor
Baltimore, MD 21202
mediator@oag.state.md.us
(410) 576-7040 facsimile

Read below for more information about what to expect once we receive your request.

What to Expect Once We Receive Your Request

When we receive a completed complaint form and any relevant documents, we will first review it to make sure that our office is the best agency to assist you. The Consumer Protection Division mediates most complaints about goods, services, or credit obtained for personal, household, family, or agricultural purposes. If we can mediate your dispute, your complaint will be assigned to the first available mediator once we receive your documents. Unless you advise in the complaint that it is being filed for informational purposes only, a copy of your complaint will be sent to the business. We cannot mediate anonymous complaints. ​

If your complaint would best be handled by another state or federal agency, we will forward it to that agency for you. While we are happy to make such referrals, you may wish to call the Consumer Protection Division (at 410-528-8662, en español 410-230-1712, or toll-free in Maryland at 1-888-743-0023) prior to filing your complaint to determine if your complaint should be filed with another agency. Filing your complaint directly with the appropriate agency will enable that agency to address your problem more quickly.

How long will it take to​ resolve your complaint?

The time it takes to mediate a complaint varies according to the complexity of the complaint and the willingness of the parties involved to mediate. Complaints are handled by volunteer mediators in the order in which they are received by the office. Depending on our current caseload, it could take extended time to assign your complaint, so please be patient.

What happens if mediation doesn't resolve you​r complaint?

Please understand that we cannot force a business to cooperate with our mediation efforts, and we are not authorized to provide legal advice or serve as private attorneys on individual cases. If our mediation efforts are not successful, it may be possible for your dispute to be resolved through our Arbitration Program. If either party does not wish to use arbitration, we will provide you with information on how to proceed with filing a private lawsuit in court.

* Arbitration - The Division offers a free, binding arbitration service designed to resolve disputes quickly. At the outset, both you and the business must agree to participate in arbitration and be bound by the decision of the arbitrator. Arbitration hearings are held at a time and place convenient to both parties. ​

Can I file a complaint anonymously?

While you may file a complaint anonymously for informational purposes, you cannot remain anonymous if you want your complaint to be mediated.

​​General Co​mplaint

​Use this form for complaints that involve retail sales or services, auto sales, condominium or homeowner's associations, reporting scams, or any other general consumer transactions.

If your complaint involves an auto repair, landlord/tenant situation, new car/lemon law problem, or new home construction, please use the specific form provided for that purpose.

Auto Repair Compla​int

Use this form for complaints involving auto repairs. This can include issues with your auto warranty.

Landlord/Tenant Comp​​laint

This form is for tenants who need to file a complaint against their current or former landlord.

New Car Warranty (Lemon Law) Complaint

This form is meant for new vehicles that fall under Maryland's lemon law. The lemon law applies to new cars, light trucks, and motorcycles that are less than 24 months old and have been driven less than 18,000 miles from original ownership. If your vehicle involves the purchase of a used car, or otherwise does not meet the above requirements, please use our General Complaint form.

New Home Complaint and Guaranty Fund Claim Comp​​laint

This form is meant for problems with the purchase and/or construction of a new home. If your complaint involves the purchase of an existing home, or a contractor you hired to work on your home, please use our General Complaint form.

​Consumer Protection Division Contact Information

Consumer hotline: 410-528-8662

Health Education and Advocacy Hotline: 410-528-1840

Attorney General's Main Switchboard, Toll-free 1-888-743-0023

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The Attorney General is the chief legal officer of the State. The Attorney General's Office has general charge, supervision and direction of the legal business of the State, acting as legal advisors and representatives of the major agencies, various boards, commissions, officials and institutions of State Government.

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This is the Federal Trade Commission's site for reporting a wide variety of scams and fraud, such as impersonators, fake job applications, and debt collection fraud.

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Protect your community by reporting fraud, scams, and bad business practices