Diversity Visa Lottery Scams: Part IV

What do I need to know about scams?

Scammers try to trick people who enter the Diversity Visa Lottery. Scammers might:

·                 charge you money to help you apply

·                 promise to increase your chance of being picked

·                 send you a message saying you won and ask for money.

If you remember how the Diversity Visa Lottery works, it will be hard for scammers to get your money.

·                 It is free to enter the Diversity Visa lottery at dvlottery.state.gov.

·                 The drawing is random. There is no way to increase your chance of winning.

·                 You can find out your status only at dvlottery.state.gov.

·                 You do not pay until you find out your entry was picked, and you go to the U.S. embassy or consulate in person for your appointment.

What should I do if I spot a scam?

If you suspect a scam, please report it to the Federal Trade Commission:

·                 Call 1-877-382-4357.

·                 Go to ftc.gov/complaint.

You can give as much information as you want. Investigators are happy for any information you give.

Diversity Visa Lottery Scams: Part III

What happens after I enter the Diversity Visa Lottery?

You enter the Diversity Visa Lottery at dvlottery.state.gov. Then the State Department gives you a confirmation number. Keep that number safe. You will need it to check your status.

Diversity Visa Lottery winners are picked at random by a computer. There is no way to increase your chance of being picked.

You can find out your status only at dv.lottery.state.gov. The State Department will never send you a letter or email to say you won. If you see that kind of message, it is a scam.

If your entry is picked, you will have to pay a fee. You pay it only when you go to the U.S. embassy or consulate for your appointment. The U.S. government will never ask you to send money in advance by check, money order, or wire transfer.

Diversity Visa Lottery Scams: Part II

How do I enter the Diversity Visa Lottery?

This is what you need to know:

• You can enter the Diversity Visa Lottery once a year. The Lottery is open for about a month in the fall.
• There is only one place to enter the Diversity Visa Lottery: dvlottery.state.gov. This State Department website has a form where you:
• answer questions
• give information about yourself, your spouse, and your children under 21
• submit digital photos of yourselves.
• It is free to enter the Diversity Visa Lottery.

You can enter once each year. If you enter the Diversity Visa Lottery more than once in a year, your entries will not count. Your spouse can enter separately if he or she qualifies.

If your entry is picked, you can include your spouse on your application, and children if they are single and under 21.

Avoiding Immigration Law Scams: Common Scams

If you need legal advice on immigration matters, make sure that the person you rely on is authorized to give you legal advice. Only an attorney or an accredited representative working for a Board of Immigration Appeals-recognized organization can give you legal advice. 

The Internet, newspapers, radio, community bulletin boards and storefronts are filled with advertisements offering immigration help. Not all of this information is from attorneys and accredited representatives. There is a lot of information that comes from organizations and individuals who are not authorized to give you legal advice, such as “notarios” and other unauthorized representatives. The wrong help can hurt. Here is some important information that can help you avoid common immigration scams.

“Notario Publico”

In many Latin American countries, the term “notario publico” (for “notary public”) stands for something very different than what it means in the United States. In many Spanish-speaking nations, “notarios” are powerful attorneys with special legal credentials. In the U.S., however, notary publics are people appointed by state governments to witness the signing of important documents and administer oaths. "Notarios publico,” are not authorized to provide you with any legal services related to immigration.

Local Businesses

Some businesses in your community “guarantee” they can get you benefits such as a:

• Visa
• Green Card
• Employment Authorization Document

These businesses sometimes charge you a higher fee to file the application than USCIS charges. They claim they can do this faster than if you applied directly with USCIS. These claims are false. There are few exceptions to the normal USCIS processing times.  

Dot-com websites

Some websites offering step-by-step guidance on completing a USCIS application or petition will claim to be affiliated with USCIS. USCIS has its own official website with:

• Free downloadable forms
• Form Instructions
• Information on filing fees and processing times

Do not pay for blank USCIS forms either in person or over the Internet.

Visa Lottery

Once a year, the Department of State (DOS) makes 50,000 diversity visas (DVs) available via random selection to persons meeting strict eligibility requirements and who come from countries with low rates of immigration to the United States. During this time, it is common for immigration scammers to advertise in emails or websites that reference either the:

• DV lottery
• Visa lottery
• Green Card lottery

These emails and websites often claim that they can make it easier to enter the annual Diversity Immigrant Visa Program, for a fee. Some even identify you as a DV lottery “winner.”

These emails and websites are fraudulent. The only way to apply for the DV lottery is through an official government application process. DOS does not send emails to applicants. Visit the Department of State website to verify if you are actually a winner in the DV lottery or for information on how to submit an application for a DV lottery visa.

INS or USCIS?

To this day, some local businesses, websites and individuals make reference to the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS). This agency no longer exists!

INS was dismantled on March 1, 2003, and most of its functions were transferred from the Department of Justice to three new components within the newly formed Department of Homeland Security. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is the component that grants immigration benefits. The other two components are U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

All official correspondence regarding your immigration case will come from USCIS.