Texas woman accused of posing as federal agent in US Visa fraud scheme
The United States said July 6 it would not allow foreign students to remain in the country if all of their classes are moved online in the fall over the coronavirus crisis. (Photo by CHRIS DELMAS/AFP via Getty Images)
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - A Texas woman has been arrested and indicted in connection with a fraud scheme related to U.S. Visas.
The woman is believed to have posed as a federal agent multiple times to scam people out of money by promising them a quicker Visa process.
Texas Visa fraud scheme
Mayra Collins, 29, of Brownsville, has been charged with two counts of wire fraud and three of impersonating a federal agent. She's been indicted by a federal grand jury on the charges, and faces more than 20 years in prison if convicted.
The backstory:
Collins first posed as an immigration officer in 2022, the U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of Texas said in a Thursday press release, telling victims she could expedite the U.S. Visa process for an extra fee. She then allegedly stole those made-up fees from four victims.
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Collins ran a similar scheme again in 2025, the release says, this time pretending to be a Border Patrol agent who was hiring new officers. In this scheme, she's accused of having victims send her money for uniforms and gear before they were hired.
The Source: Information in this article comes from the U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of Texas.