New York Daily News

Pay, or we’ll deport you: scam crew

- Ben Kochman

A TEAM OF scammers dressed as U.S. Immigratio­n and Customs Enforcemen­t agents stopped and threatened to deport a Hispanic man in Queens if he did not pay them, a city councilman said Tuesday.

The four uniformed men approached the man near his Woodside home on 65th St. and 38th Ave. at 3 p.m. on Monday, said City Council Majority Leader Jimmy Van Bramer (D -Queens).

Van Bramer said the man’s shaken wife called his office to report the extortion. The accuser has yet to report the episode to police.

According to Van Bramer, the bogus agents told the victim that he would be deported if he did not hand over his cash. The man then gave them $250, the councilman said. The victim’s immigratio­n status was unclear.

The report comes after a series of ICE raids that resulted in the arrests of about 40 people in the metropolit­an area, according to the feds.

Van Bramer joined immigratio­n attorneys and advocates at a rally near the site of the alleged fraud Tuesday evening.

“We want to let people know that regardless of your status, this is illegal, and no officer, no federal officer, no ICE officer would demand payment,” Van Bramer said.

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