Lucia thought she was catching a break.

Short on cash, she thought the offer to help her acquire a green card for a relative “on sale” was just what she needed, another example of a prayer being answered in the country where dreams come true.

Instead, it was the start of a nightmare.

“He told me he knew people with Immigration, an account with them,” said Lucia, who spoke with a reporter Friday outside the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) office in Bedford; she asked that her real name not be published. “He said all the forms were sent, everything was all set. But nothing happened. Nothing. He's gone. Now the money's gone, too.”

Scams such as this are occurring daily across New Hampshire and other states, according to local Immigration officials. Lucia was out $149, but many victims lose much more.

“There are people out there that are victimizing members of this community because they think they won't be a good witness,” said Alfred Rubega, assistant U.S. attorney for New Hampshire. “I think they are going to find out pretty quickly in New Hampshire that is not at all a good idea.”

On Wednesday, authorities held a news conference to explain the Unlawful Practice of Immigration Law Initiative, a program intended to help catch con artists. The initiative is a joint effort among the USCIS, the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission.

The initiative is built on three pillars: enforcement, education and collaboration. It is intended to stop scams and prosecute those responsible; educate immigrants about scams and how to avoid them; and inform immigrants about the proper, legal immigration process and where to find legitimate legal advice and representation.

Different cons

One of the more popular scams uses websites to advertise immigration services or pertinent forms for a fee. One clue a website is phony is when it ends in anything other than the “.gov'' tag.

“We've heard reports that people have fallen victim to these bogus websites,” said Simon Abi Nader, field office director for USCIS' Bedford branch. “The simple reason is that the general public does not know the difference between ‘.gov' and ‘.com,' which is a public domain. The government owns .gov, and no one can imitate that. All USCIS forms are free.”

Scams can be perpetrated by an individual or an organization, Nader said.

“The people that are doing this to the residents of New Hampshire — we want to put them out of business,” Nader said.

Community groups helping to prevent scams say immigrants in New Hampshire have been fleeced out of thousands of dollars. Cathy Chesley, director of Catholic Charities Office of Immigration and Refugee Services, said she has seen many victims.

“I know one family that's out $7,000,” said Chesley. “Just gone.”

One example

One man accidentally let I-94 cards — temporary visas — for his entire family go through the laundry in his jeans, said Amy Marchildon, director of Services for Lutheran Social Services of New Hampshire. “He paid someone $2,000 to replace one card, and nothing happened,” she said. The legitimate cost of replacing an I-94 is $365.

One immigrant applied for the State Department's lottery visa program, Nader said.

“This person worked with someone who said they would help her get the papers for the lottery. For months down the road, she received this email saying that she won the lottery and that the next step is you send me $2,500 money order and wire it this way,” Nader said.

She followed the instructions and waited. One month, then two, then three.

“Then when she replied to that email,” Nader said, “the address was nonexistent. The person disappeared, and her $2,500 disappeared with them.”

Different meanings

Another popular scam involves a “Notario Publico.” In many Latin-American countries, the term stands for something very different from the English translation, which is “notary public.” In many Spanish-speaking nations, “notarios” are powerful attorneys with special legal credentials. Here, notary publics are not authorized to give out legal advice.

“I haven't seen any complaints of unauthorized practice of immigration law in New Hampshire, but I'm sure that's because people are reluctant to come forward,” said Connie Stratton of the Attorney General's Office. “That's true of the general population, as well, not just immigrants. No one likes to feel they've been taken advantage of.”

Nader said it's likely many immigrants never report being ripped off, especially if they are here illegally and fear deportation.

“Nobody could deny that the fear factor is out there,” said Nader. “It involves the myth out there regarding what immigration is all about. Our office is called the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. We are here to service the public.”

USCIS officials acknowledge, however, that a fraud victim may face legal action if that person comes forward to report a crime but also informs authorities he or she is in the country illegally.

“We are sympathetic to the situation and evaluate each on a case-by-case basis,” said Denis Reardon, director for USCIS' District 1 office in Boston, but he could not “promise” illegals wouldn't be prosecuted.

Nader said individuals could report scams anonymously, by using the website uscis.gov, or by calling 1-877-382-4357.

“We are not going to ask a person who has fallen victim to an immigration scam if he or she is legal or illegal,” said Nader. “We are going to say, ‘Would you help us, so we can seek out the truth in these things?' All we need to know is the basics: who perpetrated what on whom. They can come in to our office anonymously, tell us that these people took money from me, and leave it at that,” said Nader. By the same token, however, the victim will not receive any reimbursement if the culprit is caught.

“This campaign isn't about kicking people out; it's about education,” said Ted Albers, USCIS community relations officer.