Berkshire Immigrant Center

You are here: Home / Avoid Scams/ Notario Fraud

Avoid Scams/ Notario Fraud

Avoid Scams

The wrong help can hurt

Are you getting the right immigration help?

Many people offer help with immigration services. Unfortunately, not all are authorized to do so. While many of these unauthorized practitioners mean well, all too many of them are out to rip you off. This is against the law and may be considered an immigration services scam.

If you need help filing an application or petition with USCIS, be sure to seek assistance from the right place, and from people that are authorized to help. Going to the wrong place can:

  • Delay your application or petition
  • Cost you unnecessary fees
  • Possibly lead to removal proceedings

This site can help you avoid immigration services scams. Remember: Know the facts when it comes to immigration assistance, because the Wrong Help Can Hurt.

Tools to Help You Avoid Scammers

USCIS wants to combat immigration services scams by equipping applicants, legal service providers and community-based organizations with the knowledge and tools they need to detect and protect themselves from dishonest practices.

To accomplish this goal, USCIS launched the Unauthorized Practice of Immigration Law (UPIL) Initiative. As part of the effort, we’ve partnered with several government agencies to identify resources that can help you avoid immigration services scams.

Empower yourself by using our online educational resources, which include:

This page can be found at: http://www.uscis.gov/avoidscams.

BIA Accredited

We are happy to announce that as of February 2014, the Berkshire Immigrant Center is accredited by the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA)! This designation enables Director Brooke Mead, Hilary Greene and staff to provide legal representation and to make direct inquiries to USCIS on behalf of clients. We are grateful to the following law firms for supporting the Center as it works to implement BIA best practices to provide a higher level of service/representation to our clients.

The Law Office of S. Michele Sisselman
Pittsfield & Chelsea MA
Tel. (617)-926-4898

Campoli & Monteleone

Best & Associates

Whiteman Osterman & Hanna LLP

Contact Us:

The Berkshire Immigrant Center
67 East Street
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Tel: (413) 445-4881
Fax: (413) 445-4802
info@berkshireic.com

Parking:
Free parking is available on non-metered streets surrounding downtown and in front of our office on Allen st. for 1 to 3 hours or more as indicated by street signs. The streets near the court house (on the opposite side of the traffic circle from our office) provide up to 3 hours of free parking.
Metered parking by the hour is available on downtown streets and in city parking lots - many of which are close to our office.

Where to find us:
We are located on the 2nd floor of St. Stephen's Church, easily identifiable as the big brown church by the traffic circle in downtown Pittsfield. The Church's address is 67 East st., but our entrance is on Allen st. through the big red doors.