When it's too good to be true

By Jessica Suotmaa 0

Whether the problem you’re trying to solve is immigration, copyright, or business related is irrelevant when it comes to the importance of Too Good to be True.

It can apply to the paralegal who offers simple solutions to your immigration non-status, promising to handle everything from beginning to end–and for an affordable price!

It can apply to the intellectual property processor who guarantees your intellectual property is all safe with just a single filing–saving you thousands in filing fees!

It can apply to that business opportunity where a small investment on your part guarantees a monetary investment from them–and business! You’ll receive thousands of leads and buy-ins and will earn a fortune in just a few months–no weeks!

If it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is exactly that.

Our law group is one of the few long-lasting law offices in San Gabriel Valley, and a good percentage of our clients have fallen into the trap of “if it sounds good, I’ll take it!” and failed to heed the good ol’ rule of too good to be true.  As a result, clients are often referred to us after sinking tens of thousands of dollars into a failed project that another attorney guaranteed, an immigration application they thought would result in a green card, or a business they thought would fund their retirement.  Instead, they’ve not only lost their initial investment, but they’ve possibly hurt their chances for obtaining the benefit they originally sought. This is especially true for immigration.

As such, we urge you to not believe everything everything they’re selling you and listen to that gut feeling that tells you, this must be too good to be true!

 

Official page for ESTA application

By Lum Law Group 0

The Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) is for visitors (aka tourists) from qualifying countries under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) who want to visit enter the US for up to three months.  Where before, such visitors could visit without any prior authorization, now they are required to register to ensure that they “pass” the security test. Many airlines will not board passengers from Visa Waiver Program countries unless they have an ESTA.

The good news is that you can apply for an ESTA in as little as ten minutes, at the airport, from your cellphone, etc. Some airlines will even do it for you at the counter.  It takes little to no preparation to apply for an ESTA, but you do need a VISA/MASTERCARD debit or credit card in order to pay for registration.

Here’s where it can go wrong.  When you’re in a hurry, or struggling to read tiny words off a mobile screen, you don’t have time to read the URLs of the websites you’re visiting.  You probably just typed in “ESTA” on your web browser, or opened Google.Com, and clicked “search”.

Nowadays, the first two or four results on Google are promotional advertisements. These ads will always place above a government website link on Google.  Some websites also hire SEO pros to rank their websites above government websites. Many are duped by them in their USCIS immigration visa applications, or for their ESTAs.

Check that the website you’re on is an official .GOV website. If not, it may not be secure. It may ask you for more than USD $14 for a completed ESTA application.

Here’s a website that charges a USD $83 “processing fee” in addition to the $14 ESTA registration fee:

This is not an official website

Notice how it reads “FREE” eligibility test? You don’t need that. If you click on the green button it’ll take you here:

This is why you should always read the fineprint

This website takes advantage of people who are stressed, in a hurry, using a preparer (like a airline employee who doesn’t never better), and people whose first language is not English. It even ranks second on Google search:

This Google search is in Finnish

We have heard people complain about being charged $65 for a last minute ESTA application at the airport. Don’t let that happen to you! Be warned and be prepared.