Irene V. Rodriguez allegedly scammed
consumers out of hundreds of dollars
with unauthorized legal advice, document
preparation
RIO GRANDE CITY – Texas Attorney General
Greg Abbott today took legal action
against a South Texas woman alleging she
violated several provisions of the Texas
Deceptive Trade Practices Act (DTPA) and
the Texas Government Code by providing
immigration and other legal services to
consumers despite not being licensed as
an attorney.
Irene V. Rodriguez allegedly charged
consumers in Starr County hundreds of
dollars each to prepare legal documents
in anticipation of immigration
proceedings and misled clients into
believing that she was authorized to
handle such matters. The Attorney
General’s lawsuit seeks a permanent
injunction against Rodriguez, as well as
Rodriguez Immigration & Office Services,
the fraudulent document preparation
business she operates in Rio Grande
City.
“The exploitation of Texas consumers
seeking legitimate legal representation
will not be tolerated,” said Attorney
General Abbott. “Families in need of
legal assistance should be able to rely
on honorable professionals who are
qualified and licensed to practice law.
The Consumer Protection Division of my
office will continue to vigorously
pursue anyone who ignores requirements
set out under Texas law.”
Consumers paid Rodriguez upwards of $600
to determine their eligibility for
immigration benefits and prepare and
file immigration documents on their
behalf with federal officials. Rodriguez
relied upon misleading business cards to
advertise her unauthorized business and
deceive unsuspecting consumers into
believing that she was qualified to
provide legal counsel on immigration
issues.
Rodriguez is neither licensed as an
attorney nor accredited by the U.S.
Department of Justice’s Board of
Immigration Appeals (BIA) as able to
charge fees to advise and represent
clients in immigration matters, as
required by Texas law.
The lawsuit also accuses Rodriguez of
deceptive use of her notary public
status. Texas notaries public are
primarily charged with witnessing the
signing of legal documents; however, in
Mexico, a "notario público" is much like
an attorney in the United States,
licensed to offer legal counsel and to
represent citizens in legal matters.
Scam artists have long exploited the
misunderstanding between the term
"notary" and the similar-sounding
Spanish term "notario," which is
commonly used in Latin America to refer
to highly specialized attorneys. Texas
law specifically prohibits notaries
public from providing immigration
services unless they are a licensed
attorney.
Today’s action marks the first such
“notario” case in Starr County
prosecuted by the Texas Attorney
General’s office. The lawsuit seeks
fines of up to $20,000 per violation of
the DTPA.
Consumers seeking licensed attorneys
should contact the Texas State Bar’s
Lawyer Referral Services hotline at
(800) 252-9690.
Since assuming office, Attorney General
Abbott has become a national leader in
halting businesses that prey upon
unsuspecting consumers. He has shut down
almost 40 businesses that are not
authorized to provide legal advice or
document preparation services.
For additional information or to file a
complaint against a suspected
unauthorized legal services operation,
consumers can contact the Office of the
Attorney General at (800) 252-8011 or
visit the Web site at
www.oag.state.tx.us. Assistance is
available in English and Spanish.
Revised: June 09, 2006
