NEW YORK - According to a release from Attorney General Eric Schneiderman’s office earlier this week, immigration groups around the state have received an increased number of fraudulent solicitations in recent weeks.

In the wake of increased fear and anxiety in immigrant communities as a result of the current political climate, Attorney General Schneiderman has issued a fraud alert warning immigrants to be aware of potential scammers offering immigration services.

The release states, “Immigration fraud affects large segments of communities and involved individuals or companies who target vulnerable immigrants by providing unauthorized and fraudulent immigration services.” The different kinds of fraud that the Attorney General’s Office has encountered in recent weeks includes: unsolicited calls from fake officials, ‘notario’ fraud, misrepresentation of legal credentials, fraudulent promises to expedite immigration processes, misinformation fraud, immigration affinity fraud, and unauthorized practice of the law.

“In the past two weeks, we’ve seen intense fear and anxiety in immigrant communities,” said Attorney General Schneiderman. “New York has zero tolerance for anyone who would prey on that fear to defraud immigrants and their families. We will use all the tools at our disposal to bring to justice those who commit fraud against our immigrant communities.”