Persons who advertise themselves as a “notario” or “Notario Publico” may be misrepresenting their qualifications or fraudulently offering immigration and legal services.

In an effort to help protect Latinos and others from fraud, the Federal Trade Commission is urging LSC programs to direct complaints concerning Notarios Publico to the FTC. The Commission has learned that some consumer victims contact legal aid providers instead of the government, hoping to correct the problems caused in their legal proceedings by fraudulent Notarios Publico.

The FTC enters complaints into a secure online database that is used by civil and criminal law enforcement authorities worldwide. Submitting complaints can help the FTC detect patterns of wrongdoing and lead to investigations and prosecutions.

Consumers may file complaints in English or in Spanish online at www.ftc.gov/complaint or by telephone at 1-877-FTC-HELP. If the consumer faces cultural or other barriers in filing the complaint directly with the FTC, legal services providers may file on their client’s behalf and as the point of contact.

The FTC is especially interested in receiving complaints about someone advertising as a “Notario Publico.” Because the FTC welcomes complaints on any consumer issue, to enable it to quickly identify notario complaints, persons filing a complaint should use the phrase “Notario Publico.” Please give the name and location of the Notario Publico, explain how the services are advertised, and identify what type of services are provided.
 

From LSC Updates, March 19, 2010