Potential immigrants who are considering relocating to the U.S. permanently often find it useful to attend an emigration exhibition.  These exhibitions are designed to provide potential immigrants the opportunity to obtain information about the options and process from presenters who are identified as experts in the field, while giving attendees the opportunity to talk face to face with these “expert” exhibitors.  In theory, this is a very good opportunity to talk to some real people with real experience in immigration and/or obtaining an EB-5 visa, as all sorts of participants and specialties are present.  Sometimes that really is the case, but unfortunately, it is not always so.

Potential immigrants attending these events often maintain the perspective that by using such an event as a first-line information resource, they are assured of the quality and accuracy of the information given.  The format itself gives them a feeling of insurance because they rightly presume that the presenters and exhibitors have been checked out ahead of time by the exhibition organizers, especially if the organizer is a well-known magazine or promoter.

What is not often known is that exhibition organizers do not always have the facilities to perform thorough background checks on all the companies who are exhibiting.  In the past, this has led to problems with rogue traders and unscrupulous presenters. 

Currently the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) has investigated allegations lodged against a number of emigration organizations  regarding millions in missing escrow funds in what is alleged to be a scam.  One company presented free property and emigration seminars and was also featured at a number of emigration shows and exhibitions for several years, handing out advice to eager potential immigrants at the events as an invited expert, at the express invitation of event organizers.

After recent allegations came to light, a local UK newspaper (The Lymington Times) alleged a history of problems that a comprehensive background check could have exposed, had one ever been performed.  The article uncovered incidences of company mismanagement and failure, as well as millions owed to creditors, for at least two companies.  This is hardly the resume of someone in whom you would want to place your trust and hundreds of thousands of dollars, and indeed you entire future.  Sadly, several potential EB-5 immigrants did and stand currently at a loss, all for want of a good background check.

A number of other problems have also arisen from the information given to interested immigrants at exhibitions. These span from false information to scams, and very distressing stories of emigrants who have applied for a visa through an illegal immigration program and lost not just their opportunity to obtain a green card, but also their life savings.  Subsequent prosecutions and now TV and media coverage have helped to warn others, but have unfortunately been unable to do anything to help these people who were so sadly and unfairly taken advantage of—true victims in every sense of the word.

These are extremely sad outcomes, and we do want to point out that these issues have only affected a small minority of emigrants (however, any number is too large in this case!).  Still, the impact is devastating for those who have been victims of immigration scams or false information, and we reiterate once again, that much of this could have been prevented with some careful consideration and proper research to uncover those points and persons who are cause for concern.