Business ProfileforAmerican Immigration Center, Inc.

The following describes a government action that has been resolved by either a settlement or a decision by a court or administrative agency. If the matter is being appealed, it will be noted below.

As of March 2, 2020, FTC Matter/File Number: 152-3272, , Civil Action Number: 3:18-cv-06294

Federal Trade Commission, Plaintiff, v. Forms Direct, Inc., a Nevada corporation, also doing business as Immigration Direct and successor in interest to American Immigration Center Inc., a former Florida corporation; File Right, LLC, a former Delaware corporation; United Immigration Inc., a former Nevada corporation; and US Immigration Technology LLC, a former Delaware corporation; and Cesare Alessandrini, individually and as an officer of Forms Direct, Inc., Defendants

The Federal Trade Commission is mailing 4,976 refund checks and sending 44,136 PayPal payments totaling over $2 million to consumers allegedly defrauded by American Immigration Center.
According to the FTC, starting in 2010, the company falsely implied that its websites were affiliated with the U.S. government to sell immigration form preparation services to consumers, many of whom were trying to reach the actual government site to renew their green cards or apply for naturalization. Consumers often did not realize that they were not on a government website until they had already paid the defendants $120 to $300.

The consent order settling the Commission's charges banned the defendants from engaging in the illegal conduct alleged in the complaint and required defendants to clearly disclose that their websites are not affiliated with the government.

It also imposed a $2.2 million judgment to provide
refunds to allegedly defrauded consumers.

Consumers who receive a check from the FTC should deposit or cash the check within 60 days, as indicated on the check. The FTC is also sending refund payments via PayPal to consumers for whom the agency does not have a mailing address. Consumers will have 30 days to accept the PayPal payment. The FTC's related FAQ provides more details about how the refund process will work.

Analytics, Inc., the refund administrator for this matter, will begin mailing checks today. The refund amount for each consumer is $42.71. The FTC never requires consumers to pay money or provide information to cash refund checks. Consumers who have questions about the mailing should call Analytics, Inc. at 1-877-729-1539.

The FTC provides tips for consumers on how to spot immigration-related scams. You can find this information on our consumer blog, business blog, and consumer webpage for avoiding scams against immigrants.

The FTC's new interactive dashboards for refund data provide a state-by-state breakdown of refunds, as well as refund programs from other FTC cases. In 2019, FTC actions led to more than $232 million in refunds to consumers across the country.

In October 2018, the FTC filed a complaint against defendants Forms Direct, Inc., also known as American Immigration Center, and owner Cesare Alessandrini, alleging that they falsely implied that their websites were affiliated with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).The defendants allegedly used such deception since 2010 to sell immigration form preparation services to consumers. The FTC's settlement bars the defendants from continuing their misleading business practices and requires them to pay $2.2 million to compensate consumers. In early March 2020, the Commission announced it was sending checks totaling over $2 million to consumer defrauded through the scheme

For further assistance please contact:
Federal Trade Commission
600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20580
Telephone: (202) 326-2222

LINK: https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2020/03/ftc-sending-refunds-totaling-over-2-million-consumers-harmed