Protect Yourself from Notario Fraud

What is Notario Fraud?

In many Latin American countries, a "notario" is a licensed attorney with significant legal authority. In the United States, that is not the case.

Notarios in the U.S. are simply notaries public — they are not immigration attorneys and are not licensed to practice law. Unfortunately, some notarios misrepresent themselves to take advantage of immigrants who don't know the difference.

These scammers may even use photos, names, and credentials of real attorneys found online to appear legitimate.

Warning: Scammers may try to mimic legitimate contact information by changing small details — like swapping one digit in a phone number, or replacing an "l" with a "1" in an email address. Always double-check before responding to any communication.

How to Verify a Real Attorney

Any immigration attorney should be actively licensed by a state bar and able to provide proof upon request. You can verify an attorney's license yourself:

Ask for their bar number and the state where they're licensed
Look them up on their state bar's official website
Confirm their license is active and in good standing

If someone claims to be an attorney but cannot provide this information, or if you cannot verify them through official channels, do not work with them.

How to Know You're Communicating with My Firm

If you're considering working with me or have already retained my services, here's how to verify any communication is actually from my office:

Official Contact Information

Phone: (813) 365-7015
Email: Only from an @pichardolaw.com address
Zoom: Invitations will only come from an @pichardolaw.com email

I do not use WhatsApp. I will never contact you via WhatsApp about your case, costs, or any other matter.

All firm communications and requests will only come from the official channels listed above. If you've retained me, you'll receive a welcome packet with contact information, including any additional forms of communication I may use to discuss your case.

If you're unsure: If you ever receive a suspicious message claiming to be from me — whether by phone, email, text, or any other method — please contact me directly at (813) 365-7015 or info@pichardolaw.com to verify before responding.

Report Immigration Fraud

If you believe you've been a victim of notario fraud or immigration scams, you can report it to:

Federal Trade Commission (FTC): ftc.gov/immigration
Your state attorney general's office
Local law enforcement