Avoid ESA Scam Letters
Many websites sell certificates or letters for emotional support animals to anyone who answers a series of questions or participates in a short interview or survey and pays a fee. Please know that purchasing a letter from an online site, business or provider you do not have an established history with does not meet the requirements for approval of an ESA. A valid ESA document must come from a licensed mental health professional or doctor who knows you personally through an ongoing and established therapeutic relationship.
Key Tips to Avoid an ESA Scam:
- Require a Real Assessment: If you did not talk to a board-certified doctor or licensed mental health professional who has personal knowledge of you through an ongoing and established therapeutic relationship, you have been sold an unenforceable document. The safest method is to use your own provider either through doctor referral or your therapist.
- Steer Clear of Instant Approvals: Any site promising "instant letters", "lifetime guaranteed" letters, extremely cheap letters, or letters issued without ongoing assessment are all clear indication of a scam. Such documentation from the Internet is not sufficient to reliably establish that an individual has a disability-related need for an emotional support animal.
- Spot Red Flags: There is no official government or legal registry for ESAs. Any website claiming to “register” your animal or provide a certificate, ID badges or vests as proof of ESA status is misleading and likely a scam.
- Verify the Provider: Ensure the mental health professional is licensed to practice in your specific state. When in doubt, do not pay for a letter from a website. Instead, you should contact your current mental health professional.
Requesting an ESA:
In order to have your request for an emotional support animal considered, you will need to have the Emotional Support Animal (ESA) Form reviewed and completed by a qualified healthcare professional you’ve worked with who is licensed to practice in Illinois or your home state. Please review this form carefully and let me know if you have any questions. Once your healthcare professional has completed this form, please ensure that it is submitted to ACCESS.
