EB-3 Scam Warning Signs: 8 Things to Check Before You Pay

An EB-3 offer shows scam warning signs when it:

• guarantees a green card or a timeline;
• asks you to pay PERM costs or deducts recruitment costs from your wages;
• makes you pay to receive a job offer;
• wants payment by Western Union, MoneyGram, gift cards or cryptocurrency, or to an individual;
• comes from someone who isn't a lawyer giving immigration legal advice.

USCIS and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) both warn about these patterns.

Information from USCIS's Common Scams page and the FTC's guide to avoiding immigration scams, checked October 19, 2026.

Key takeaways

• No one can guarantee an EB-3 green card or a timeline.
• Being asked to pay PERM costs or to pay for a job offer is a red flag.
• USCIS never accepts Western Union, MoneyGram, PayPal or gift cards.

8 signs to stop and check

1. "Guaranteed green card" or "guaranteed in X years"

No one can guarantee it. The Department of Labor decides PERM, USCIS decides the I-140, and the State Department follows the Visa Bulletin. USCIS also notes that only USCIS decides whether to expedite a case; anyone promising speed through "connections" is suspect.

2. The worker is asked to pay PERM costs

Under 20 CFR 656.12(b), the employer may not take money from the worker for PERM, including the employer's attorney fees. Wage deductions, unpaid work and "thank-you money" are banned too. See EB-3 Costs: Who Pays What.

3. Paying to receive a job offer

USCIS warns to be careful with U.S. job offers sent by email or social media, especially when you're asked to pay to receive the offer.

4. Paying through unofficial channels

USCIS never asks you to send money to an individual and doesn't accept Western Union, MoneyGram, PayPal, Venmo or gift cards for immigration fees. The FTC adds that anyone asking for payment by gift card, wire transfer, payment app or cryptocurrency for "immigration help" is a scammer.

5. A "notario" or unlicensed person giving legal advice

In the U.S., a notary public witnesses signatures and may not give legal advice. According to USCIS, only an attorney or an accredited representative of an organization recognized by the Department of Justice may give immigration legal advice. Check a lawyer through the state bar where they're licensed.

6. Asked to sign blank forms or hand over originals

Don't sign blank forms or forms with false information. Don't let anyone keep your passport or original documents. Keep copies of everything filed and every USCIS receipt.

7. No contract, no clear company name

A legitimate provider has a written contract, a legal entity name and an address, and tells you the employer's name before PERM is filed. You have every right to check that the employer is real.

8. Fake USCIS websites or emails

U.S. government websites and emails end in .gov. Social media pages or emails claiming to be USCIS may be impostors.

How to check an EB-3 provider

• Ask for the name of the immigration attorney on the case and check the license on the state bar's site.
• Ask for the employer's name, address and industry, and confirm the company actually operates.
• Ask for an itemized cost list and a contract.
• Pay only to a company account, with receipts.
• Get copies of everything filed with the government, with receipt numbers you can look up yourself.

Where to report a scam

• FTC: ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
• USCIS: its Report Immigration Scams page. USCIS says reporting a scam will not hurt your application.
• The FTC has a Vietnamese-language guide to avoiding immigration scams.

How Manna One Solution works

On our EB-3 page, we don't guarantee timing or results, we break costs into clear groups, and licensed immigration attorneys handle the legal work. Manna One Solution is not a law firm and does not give legal advice. Read more: What Is EB-3 for Unskilled (Other) Workers?, How Long Is the EB-3 Other Workers Wait?.

Sources

• USCIS: Common Scams (checked October 19, 2026)
• FTC: How To Avoid Immigration Scams and Get Real Help (checked October 19, 2026)
• FTC: Avoid immigration scams (Vietnamese, PDF) (checked October 19, 2026)
• 20 CFR 656.12, Improper commerce and payment (Cornell LII) (checked October 19, 2026)