'Notario Fraud' Exploits Immigrants Seeking Legal Help, Experts Warn

Unlicensed notaries prey on immigrants navigating a complex legal system, risking deportation and financial loss.

WASHINGTON — Immigrants desperate for legal guidance are falling victim to “notario fraud,” a widespread practice in which unlicensed individuals offer immigration advice they are not legally qualified to give — often with devastating consequences.

Misleadingly calling themselves “notarios” or “notario públicos,” these individuals often pose as attorneys or legal advisors, despite having no legal training or license to practice law in the U.S. The term “notario público” — which in Latin America and parts of Europe refers to a licensed legal professional — has no such equivalence in the United States, where a notary public is only authorized to witness signatures.

“A notary is a professional witness in the United States,” said Ruby Robinson, an attorney at the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center. “That’s it.” Yet, he said, clients routinely arrive at his office after receiving incorrect advice from notaries that may jeopardize their immigration status or trigger deportation.

Michigan law pro…