Immigration Scam
Immigration groups are warning that undocumented migrants in Spain are increasingly becoming victims of scams. Many are trying to get appointments to regularise their legal status under a new government amnesty.
Thousands of migrants are being tricked by fraudsters and fake “immigration experts” who promise to help them get residency permits. These scammers are taking advantage of the urgency and uncertainty around the new system.
Booking and reselling cita previa (official appointments) has been a problem for years in Spain, but it has skyrocketed since the government announced plans to give legal status to many migrants. The plan could help around 500,000 people, although experts believe there may be up to 840,000 undocumented migrants in the country.
The government has now approved the plan, but there is still confusion about how the process works. This situation has created more opportunities for scams.
Some intermediaries are charging up to €400, claiming they can speed up the process. Many post misleading adverts online offering help, even though the official system is not fully ready yet.
These adverts often promise guaranteed results and encourage people not to try on their own. However, they are not connected to official or legal services.
Unions have also warned that some people and even travel agencies are charging for services that should be free. In reality, booking an appointment does not cost anything.
Activists say these scams increase stress and anxiety for migrants. They argue that scammers are exploiting vulnerable people and should be punished.
These scams are not new. In the past, criminal groups have hacked appointment systems, booked large numbers of slots, and sold them illegally.
For example, police in Barcelona arrested people who used bots to block appointments and sell them for profit. Larger criminal networks have also been discovered.
Experts say that booking an appointment should always be free. However, since the pandemic, it has become harder to get appointments, creating a black market where people sell them for high prices.
1. VOCABULARY
-
- Undocumented – A. To obtain something
- Regularise – B. People who commit scams
- Amnesty – C. People without legal documents
- Fraudsters – D. An official pardon for illegal acts
- Exploiting – E. People with special knowledge
- Urgency – F. A situation where immediate action is needed
- Secure – G. To take advantage unfairly
- Experts – H. To make something legal
- Skyrocketed – I. Something has increased very fast or suddenly gone up a lot
🔹 Part B
- Intermediaries – A. Giving false or confusing information
- Misleading – B. Easily harmed or at risk
- Speed up– C. Lack of clarity or certainty
- Uncertainty – D. Accepted officially
- Vulnerable – E. Middle people between two sides
- Hacked – F. Stopped something from happening
- Blocked – G. Entered illegally into a system
- Approved – H. To make something faster
3.Choose the correct CRIMES. One of these options is used twice:1.WHITE COLLAR CRIME 2.BLUE COLLAR CRIME 3.GREY COLLAR CRIME4.BLACK COLLAR CRIME5.GREEN COLLAR CRIME
a:is generally non-violent in nature and includes public corruption, health care fraud, mortgage fraud, securities fraud, and money laundering, to name a few.
b:crimes committed against ¨¨nature¨¨ including deforestation, illegal trading in wildlife, illegal fishing and hunting etc...
c:mostly associated with a religious or judicial figure, who commit crimes, for example a priest convicted of pedophelia.
d:is a crime that involes the use of technology without ever meeting the victim such as identity theft.
e: this term is used to describe a crime from an individual of a lower social class. Examples are theft offenses such as shoplifting and burglary. Violent crimes, including assault and battery. Drug crimes such as manufacturing, distribution, and possession.
f: Which one of these is a real estate crime ?
4. Discussion Questions
5.Spot the Scam & Respond
Choose one scenario.
Explain:
- Why it is a scam
- How the scam works
- What warning signs (“red flags”) you see
- What you would say or do in response
Scenarios
1. The “Urgent Bank Message”
You receive a message saying your bank account is blocked. It asks you to click a link and enter your details immediately.
Discuss:
- What makes this suspicious?
- What should you do next?
2. The “Too Good Job Offer”
You are offered a remote job with a high salary. The company asks you to pay a small fee to “process your application.”
Discuss:
- Why is this risky?
- How can you check if the job is real?
3. The “Online Marketplace Buyer”
You are selling something online. A buyer says they will pay extra but asks you to send money first for “delivery insurance.”
Discuss:
- What is the trick here?
- How would you reply?
4. The “Prize Winner Email”
You receive an email saying you have won a prize, but you must pay a fee to receive it.
Discuss:
- What are the red flags?
- What should you do?
5. The “Friend in Trouble”
You get a message from a friend asking for money urgently, but the message feels unusual.
Discuss:
- How can you verify if it’s real?
- What would you say?
5B. Now The Opposite ! You Are The Scammer!
⚠️ This is a role-play activity to practise speaking and persuasion. It does NOT reflect your real values.
Task
Choose ONE scenario.
👉 Explain:
- How your scam works
- What you say to convince the victim
- Why your target is vulnerable
- How you create urgency or trust
Scenarios
1. The “Cita Previa Expert”
You claim you can secure an official immigration appointment faster than the system allows.
👉 Include:
- Price (€50–€400)
- Promises (e.g. “guaranteed appointment”)
- How you sound professional
2. The “Fast-Track Residency Service”
You advertise a special service to regularise legal status quickly.
Include:
- Fake process explanation
- Use of legal or official language
- Why people believe you
3. The “Insider Contact”
You say you have a contact inside the immigration office.
Include:
- How you build trust
- Why the situation feels urgent
- What you ask for (money, documents)
4. The “Blocked System Trick”
You tell migrants the system is full or broken, but you can “fix” it.
Include:
- Explanation of the problem
- Your “solution”
- Why they must act quickly
5. The “Online Advertisement”
You post an ad online offering help with paperwork.
Include:
- Catchy phrases (“Don’t waste time!” / “100% success”)
- Payment method
- Why it looks real
6. The “Reselling Appointment”
You use bots or tricks to block-book appointments and resell them.
Include:
- How you got the appointments
- Why people are desperate
- Your pricing strategy
7A. Fill in the Blanks A – Immigration, Scams & Legal System
Word Bank: fraudsters, secure, amnesty, undocumented, block-booking, exploit, regularise, intermediaries, desperation, misleading
- Immigration campaigners are warning that __________ migrants in Spain are being targeted by scams.
- The government plans to __________ the legal status of thousands of migrants under a new policy.
- The migration __________ will allow people without papers to apply for residency.
- Many __________ are taking advantage of migrants’ lack of information.
- Scammers often __________ vulnerable people during times of crisis.
- The __________ of migrants increases when they fear losing the chance to apply.
- Applicants try to __________ appointments as quickly as possible due to limited availability.
- Criminal groups engage in __________, reserving many appointments at once to resell them.
- Some __________ act as middlemen between migrants and official systems, sometimes illegally.
- Online adverts are often __________, promising services that do not actually exist.
7B. Fill in the Blanks 2:
1. One of the reasons these scammers commit the crime is because they will most probably not get caught. This means that they usually
.
2. When they do get caught, they receive only a tiny punishment, like a fine of 50 euros. This means they only receive a .
3. If the police are aware that the crimes are happening but are deciding to ignore it, then they are
.
4. If a new law is introduced, where the penalty for scamming immigrants is to spend their lives in jail, it means they will receive a .
5. If the immigration scamming problem in Barcelona has been getting a lot of attention around the world, then it is making .
6. The problem of immigration scams is something that is very common and undersirable. We can say that Barcelona is a for immigration scams.
7. Spain would like to ¨defeat¨ the problem of immigration scams. What is the correct word to defeat an oppresive or difficult problem or challenge ?
Barcelona would like to its immigration scam problem.
8. One of the ways the scammers are attracting the immigrants, is by offering a quick way to get an appointment. To find a way to do something (or to get somewhere) quickly is a .
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