Countywide : Film Warns Latino Immigrants of Fraud

In an effort to warn Latino immigrants about fraud schemes, law enforcement and county human relations officials have created a film that urges them to overcome fear of police and to report scams.

The 14-minute film, “Encrucijada” (“Crossroads”), in Spanish with English subtitles, will premiere early next month. It portrays a man who is bilked by an unscrupulous employer and ultimately reports it to the police.

Police and the film’s producers say many immigrants do not report fraud because they’re afraid of police or they accept a scam as bad luck.

The film’s director, Eli Reyna, who works for the Orange County Human Relations Commission, said: “We all are (targets of fraud), but especially new immigrants are like easy prey.”

Street scams, fraudulent telephone solicitations and sham businesses are common hazards for immigrants, said Jose Vargas, the Latino affairs officer for the Santa Ana Police Department. “Some of these frauds we come into contact with affect hundreds of people.”

Vargas cited one example of an unlicensed nursing school that was closed last year in Santa Ana. An estimated 350 people had graduated from the school, but because it wasn’t licensed by the state, their diplomas were useless, Vargas said.

The district attorney’s office spent about $9,000 to finance the film, and Human Relations Commission officials have contacted several immigrant community centers about the production, said Rusty Kennedy, the commission’s executive director.

Officials will distribute a flyer at the film’s premiere outlining common fraud schemes, how to avoid them and which authorities to contact for help.

The first public showing of the film is scheduled for 10 a.m. on Feb. 3 at Chapman University’s Waltmar Theatre at 333 N. Glassell St. in Orange.

Anyone wishing to see the film is asked to call the Orange County Humans Relations Commission at (714) 567-7470 to make reservations for the free showing.