Scammers are using artificial intelligence to target individuals seeking legal help in immigration cases co-opting the image and likeness of a prominent South Florida immigration attorney to earn their trust and rob them of thousands of dollars.
Angel Leal told WLRN that his practice has been consumed by such cases in recent months.
"Many of our clients are without status, so they're afraid to go to the authorities," Leal said. "So the fraudsters are counting on the fact that the victims aren't going to go to the authorities because of their immigration status."
Leal said he’s taken on some victims as his own clients. Some have missed court hearings or important filing deadlines because in some instances, he said, scammers put on phony hearings or forge signatures.
" It's a perfect storm," he said. "With the immigration crackdown, with people scared, with people looking for help, and then they're seeing these fake promises that are too good to be true. They think there's an easy way, a quick solution to whatever issue that they have."
Leal said his firm has identified countless AI-generated videos and hundreds of fraudulent accounts.
He has reported these instances to the FBI, the Federal Communications Commission and local law enforcement.
He also said that he is not the only immigration lawyer being affected and that if you are looking for legal counsel to follow the American Bar Associations guidelines to find real quality help.
READ MORE: Floridians waiting for family-based Green Cards top nationwide backlog
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