A Houston immigration attorney says people are stealing her photos, using artificial intelligence to alter the images and impersonating her office.
HOUSTON — A southwest Houston immigration attorney says people are stealing her photos, using artificial intelligence to alter the images and impersonating her office. She says more than 20 people have been targeted, with some losing thousands of dollars.
Naimeh Salem, an immigration attorney, says her law firm has recently received calls from people who say they paid money to someone impersonating her or her office. The people allegedly impersonating attorneys used Salem’s name and photos on social media and altered the images to make them appear connected to other people posing as attorneys.
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Salem said some people believed they were working with legitimate attorneys.
“When they hire fake attorneys, pay money and represent them in their hearings.”
Salem said people posing as attorneys have been using her images on platforms including Facebook and Instagram.
“Correct, use images Naimeh Salem on Facebook, Instagram. And my image next to someone else image.”
Salem said she knows of more than 20 people who may have been targeted.
One woman who said she paid money to someone she believed was legitimate agreed to speak by phone but did not want her identity revealed. She said the experience left her feeling angry and helpless after her family lost about $11,000.
“Le da uno coraje. Impotencia porque no puedes hacer nada.”
The woman said she was promised a permit to stay in the United States within a month. Her husband, who desperately wanted her to be in the country, paid the money. The couple also had what they believed were meetings with immigration agents.
The woman said she began looking into the situation and eventually discovered the images being used were not legitimate.
“Que la foto era falsa y estaba hecha con inteligencia artificial.”
She said she eventually realized the images were fake and were connected to Salem’s Houston law office.
Salem said the people allegedly impersonating attorneys are taking advantage of people who may already be in vulnerable situations.
“Remember that people are desperate, getting deported, arrested and killed. They are desperate to be here with some type of status, some type of protection.”
Experts say people should be cautious about trusting what they see online, particularly before sending money or personal information.
Joshua McKenty, CEO of Polyguard, a company that provides identity verification technology, said it can be difficult for an individual to determine whether an image has been created or altered using AI.
“Nothing an individual can reliably see can tell if it’s AI or edited with AI.”
McKenty said people should do their own research before paying for services or providing personal information.
“Sadly, you have to do the legwork. Shake their hand, look at their diploma, call the BBB and Consumer Reports. Keep records.”
The woman said she hopes someone stops whoever is behind what happened to her before others are targeted.
“Que alguien le pusiera un alto a esta persona.”
Salem said she is also concerned about the impact the impersonation could have on her reputation. She said people who do not contact her actual office may mistakenly believe she took their money and failed to provide legal services.
“For myself, it’s my reputation. A lot of them, if they don’t contact our office, ‘I stole their money, disappeared on them, I didn’t do my job.’ Bad for everyone in this situation.”
People who say they lost money reported the alleged scheme to the Houston Police Department. HPD said the case will be assigned to an investigator.
HPD said it hopes people will research and verify who they are dealing with before handing over thousands of dollars for any service.
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