3501 Jack Northrop Ave, Hawthorne, California, 90250-4433, USA: Scam and fraud or legit?

Is the following address used for scams and frauds?

3501 Jack Northrop Ave,
Suite # XXXXX,
Hawthorne, CA, 90250-4433
USA

No, this is one of the warehouses used by Shipito (Eastbiz Corp.).

What is Shipito (Eastbiz Corp.)?

Shipito (Eastbiz Corp.) is a US package forwarding company (also known as a freight forwarder, a mail forwarder or a shipping forwarder) allowing to overcome geographical shipping restrictions and ship online purchases to

• Alaska, Hawaii,
• U.S. Protectorates and Insular areas (Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Marshall Islands, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, or Federated States of Micronesia),
• APO, FPO, and DPO Addresses,
• DOS Addresses,
• other countries including but not limited to Canada, the U.K., Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Mexico, Brazil, India, Russia, Kuwait, Virgin Islands, Japan, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Latvia, Luxembourg, Monaco, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Estonia, Lithuania, Portugal, Slovenia, Sweden, Australia, Korea, New Zealand, Singapore, Slovakia, Bahrain, Israel, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, The Bahamas, Bermuda, Brazil, Cayman Islands, the Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan,…

Shipito warehouse: 3501 Jack Northrop Ave, Suite # XXXXX, Hawthorne, California, 90250-4433, USA

Can the “3501 Jack Northrop Ave, Hawthorne, California, 90250, USA” address be used for scams and frauds?

Yes it can be used for legit as well as illegal activities like ANY other address. BUT I and many of my friends use it for making legit purchases in US online shops that don’t ship overseas. Also even US individuals and US companies use Shipito package/parcel forwarding service for shipping to Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Marshall Islands, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, or Federated States of Micronesia.

Information for online retailers about Shipito

Shipito and victims of stolen credit cards

If you’re a store owner who shipped product to 3501 Jack Northrop Ave, Hawthorne, California, 90250-4433, USA and got a chargeback, contact Shipito immediately if you are a victim of credit card fraud. If they find that a stolen credit card was used, they immediately send packages back to you. Shipito has zero tolerance policy. Fraud accounts are immediately canceled.

Shipito and international sales

Shipito offers a program where they can guarantee all sales to online retailers if they are purchased directly by Shipito. This allows online retailers not to lose international sales, while Shipito takes the risk of accepting international payments.

Visit Shipito web-site

How you can prevent debit and credit card fraud

Craig made a comment that someone has stolen his credit card and sent $4,000 worth of items using a shipping forwarder. Here are some tips that can help you to prevent debit and credit card frauds:

• Enable SMS (text message) notifications for all your debit and credit card transactions
• Use a separate debit/credit card for online transactions. Use another one for major online transactions.
• Replace your debit / credit card once or twice a year.
• Always check the web-site before making any online transaction (google for “web-site name fraud” and “web-site name complaint” and check the results).
• Be especially careful when making online transactions using free Internet access, from a hotel,…At least make sure that the SSL protocol (https://) is used or you use a reliable Virtual Private Network (VPN).
• Do not make any transactions from computers of other people and organisations (in a hotel, Internet cafe,…)
• Always have a phone number of your bank, so that you can notify your bank about fraudulent transactions and block your card. Find out whether you can use online banking or mobile banking for blocking your card if needed.
• Pay with Paypal, Skrill,… instead of using your debit or credit card.

I also recommend to be careful with software that you install onto your computer and web-site that you visit.
If you use Windows, I recommend to have a reliable firewall and an anti-virus. Personally I make online transactions in Linux or Mac OS only. Linux live CD can be a perfect solution for that.

What other methods to you use to prevent debit and credit card fraud?

www.zulily.com review: Is Zulily a legit private shopping club or scam and fraud?

Private shopping sites for moms, kids and babies (fashion sale sites, private sale clubs, sample sale sites) offer designer clothing at a 50-90% discount.

Zulily claims to offer top-quality apparel, gear and other goodies for moms, babies and kids. But is it a legit shopping club or scam/fraud?

About Zulily

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Zulily – U.S. private shopping club offering sales for kids, pregnant women, moms. It allows orders to be shipped to the USA and Canada. And it can ship internationally using its partner FiftyOne.

Zulily offers great selection of clothing for kids. Some sales feature toys, children books, clothing for moms and pregnant women, …

Is Zulily a legit shopping club or scam and fraud?

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I’ve made several orders from Zulily. Bought nursing dresses, lots of great clothing, shoes and toys for my kid. But instead of using FiftyOne for shipping internationally, I used Shipito. I did manage to pay for my orders with my Russian debit card (see this post to learn more). I decided to use Shipito instead of FiftyOne, because it is cheaper this way. Besides I wanted to consolidate my packages to save even more.

Package from Zulily.com on Shipito

I can confirm that you can trust Zulily. It is a great private shopping club for kids, babies and moms.

Links

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• Zulily (private shopping club for moms, babies and kids)
• Shipito (US package forwarder)

www.prive.com review: Is Prive a legit private shopping club or scam and fraud?

Private shopping sites (fashion sale sites, private sale clubs, sample sale sites) offer designer clothing for men, women, kids at discounted prices. They allow you to buy fashion clothing as well as other stuff at a 50-90% discount. The only problem is that top US and Canadian private shopping sites do not offer International shipping. But there are exceptions.

Few private shopping clubs offer international shipping. Prive.com claims to ship not only to Canada, the USA, the UK, but also internationally. But is it a legit shopping club?

About Prive

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Prive – is a members-only online retailer offering access to designer clothing for men and women at exclusive prices.
Prive features a unique selection of established designers and contemporary collections.

Does Prive ship internationally?

Currently Prive ships internationally. Orders shipped outside of Canada are not subject to any sales tax.

What countries Prive allows to ship to?

• Group A: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Brazil, Cayman Islands, Chile, China, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, El Salvador, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Grenada, Guyana, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea (South), Luxembourg, Malaysia, Morocco, Netherlands, Netherlands Antilles, New Zealand, Norway, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Saint Lucia, Singapore, Spain, St. Kitts & Nevis, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Taiwan.
• Group B: All other countries.

International Shipping Rates (except for the US and Canada)

	Xpresspost	Priority Courier
Group A	$50 (3-5 days)	-
Group B	-	$70 (2-5 days)

Is Prive a legit shopping club or scam and fraud?

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I’ve ordered a couple of jeans and a jacket from Prive. I’ve sent them to the my virtual USA address (I’ve been using Shipito package forwarder). Here is my package from Prive on Shipito:

I’ve consolidated my packages (only one of them was from Prive.com) and sent them to Russia. I can confirm now that Prive.com is a legitimate shopping club.

Comparing Prive with my favorite shopping club

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I still prefer to use a USA shopping club Ideeli with my shipping forwarder Shipito. Both Prive and Ideeli support International debit and credit cards, but there are many reasons why Ideeli is better:

• Ideeli allows you to add items to your order after placing it. You can also change your order or cancel it easily. This is very important when using flash sale sites. It is very disappointing that you can’t change your order, add items or cancel your order on Prive.
• Ideeli has much more sales than Prive. And besides clothing for men and women Ideeli offers items for kids, home and travel deals.
• Prices on Ideeli are lower than on Prive.
• Ideeli has size charts, so it is much easier to find the size that you need.
• Ideeli ships your orders much faster than Prive.
• Ideeli has better photos of clothing.

Links

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• Prive (private shopping club)
• Ideeli (private shopping club)
• Shipito (US package forwarder)

As of February 17th 2012, Prive.com is closed.
And they didn’t return my 650 dollars of credits to me, so this is a scam.

Shipito.com alternatives. Part 2: VIAddress.com review and comparison with Shipito

VIAddress is a worldwide shipping forwarder offering a USA virtual address for making online purchases in America. Its membership is free. There are no fees for package consolidation, you may store your packages for free for 90 days. Assisted purchases are available. And VIAddress can ship to worldwide destinations via UPS, FEDEX, DHL, USPS. Looks attractive, isn’t it? Let’s find out whether there is any catch.

Comparing VIAddress and Shipito shipping rates

If you take a look onto VIAdress homepage, you will find a very attractive chart:

So I decided to compare VIAdress estimated shipping costs to the costs of real packages I sent to Russia in 2011 via USPS Express Mail using Shipito

Weight, lbs	VIAddress Estemation	Shipito
12.3	$127.38	$121.89
19.9	$180.42	$135.25
34.7	$279.86	$222.59

I do pay $50 for a yearly membership in Shipito, while VIAdress membership is free. But if I send a package of 34.7 lbs via USPS to Russia using VIAddress, I will pay extra $55+ compared to Shipito.

Some more details about VIAddress

Unfortunately shipping fees is not the only problem of VIAddress. VIAdress has the lowest possible rating on BBB. And there many complaints about VIAddress from around the world, some of them even lead an investigation by The Indiana Attorney General’s office.

Would you recommend to use VIAddress?

I have never been a customer of VIAddress, but personally I prefer to stay away from it.

Shipito shipping rates are one of the best. Considering the amount of services Shipito provides, their quality and cost, I think Shipito is one of the best freight forwarding companies.

11407 SW Amu St., Tualatin, OR 97062, USA: Scam and fraud or legit?

Is the following address used for scams and frauds?

11407 SW Amu St.
Suite # XXXXX
Tualatin, OR 97062
USA
 

No, this is one of the warehouses used by Shipito.

Shipito warehouse: 11407 SW Amu St., Suite # XXXXX, Tualatin, OR 97062, USA

What is Shipito (Eastbiz Corp.)?

Shipito (Eastbiz Corp.) is a US package forwarding company (also known as a freight forwarder, a mail forwarder or a shipping forwarder) allowing to overcome geographical shipping restrictions and ship online purchases to

• Alaska, Hawaii,
• U.S. Protectorates and Insular areas (Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Marshall Islands, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, or Federated States of Micronesia),
• APO, FPO, and DPO Addresses,
• DOS Addresses,
• other countries including but not limited to Canada, the U.K., Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Mexico, Brazil, India, Russia, Kuwait, Virgin Islands, Japan, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Latvia, Luxembourg, Monaco, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Estonia, Lithuania, Portugal, Slovenia, Sweden, Australia, Korea, New Zealand, Singapore, Slovakia, Bahrain, Israel, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, The Bahamas, Bermuda, Brazil, Cayman Islands, the Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan,…

See also: US online stores shipping and not shipping to Shipito warehouse in Tualatin, Oregon (11407 SW Amu St., Tualatin, OR 97062, USA).

Can the “11407 SW Amu St., Tualatin, OR 97062, USA” address be used for scams and frauds?

Yes it can be used for legit as well as illegal activities like ANY other address. BUT I and many of my friends use it for making legit purchases in US online shops that don’t ship overseas. Also even US individuals and US companies use Shipito package/parcel forwarding service for shipping to Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Marshall Islands, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, or Federated States of Micronesia, APO, DPO and FPO addresses.

Information for online retailers about Shipito

Shipito and victims of stolen credit cards

If you’re a store owner who shipped product to 11407 SW Amu St., Tualatin, OR 97062, USA and got a chargeback, contact Shipito immediately if you are a victim of credit card fraud. If they find that a stolen credit card was used, they immediately send packages back to you. Shipito has zero tolerance policy. Fraud accounts are immediately canceled.

Shipito and international sales

Shipito offers a program where they can guarantee all sales to online retailers if they are purchased directly by Shipito. This allows online retailers not to lose international sales, while Shipito takes the risk of accepting international payments.

Visit Shipito web-site

Spam or genuine and legit e-mail from no-reply@state.gov: We regret to inform you that, because of a computer programming error, the results of the 2012 Diversity Lottery that were previously posted on the Department of State Entrant Status Check website have been voided.

Many friends of mine who participated in the DV Lottery 2012 received the following e-mail:

From no-reply@state.gov Thu May 19 21:11:41 2011
Return-path:
Received: from [169.252.4.131] (port=44408 helo=stimson3.state.gov)
by mx85.gmail.com with esmtp
id 1QN6lA-00047n-00
for vasyapupkin@gmail.com; Thu, 19 May 2011 21:11:40 +0400
Received-SPF: none (mx85.gmail.com: 169.252.4.131 is neither permitted nor denied by domain of state.gov) client-ip=169.252.4.131; envelope-from=no-reply@state.gov; helo=stimson3.state.gov;
X-Mru-BL: 0
X-Mru-PTR: stimson.state.gov
X-Mru-NR: 1
X-Mru-OF: Linux (ethernet/modem)
X-Mru-RC: US
Received: from CA2K3RDYPW01.ca.state.sbu ([10.20.38.224])
by stimson3.state.gov with ESMTP id p4JGpkxG030343-p4JGpkxH030343
for ; Thu, 19 May 2011 12:51:46 -0400
Received: from CARELAY2.ca.state.sbu ([10.47.72.8]) by CA2K3RDYPW01.ca.state.sbu with Microsoft SMTPSVC(6.0.3790.3959);
Thu, 19 May 2011 13:11:39 -0400
Date: 19 may 11 13:11:37
From: no-reply@state.gov
Subject: eDV Lottery Confirmation Number
Importance: Normal
Content-Type: text/html
To:
Message-ID:
X-OriginalArrivalTime: 19 May 2011 17:11:39.0343 (UTC) FILETIME=[D1186DF0:01CC1647]
X-Spam: Not detected
X-Mras: Ok

May 16, 2011

Dear Diversity Visa Lottery Entrant:

We regret to inform you that, because of a computer programming error, the results of the 2012 Diversity Lottery that were previously posted on the Department of State Entrant Status Check website have been voided. The results were not valid because they did not represent a fair, random selection of entrants, as required by U.S. law. They were posted in error.

If you checked the Entrant Status Check website (http://www.dvlottery.state.gov) during the first week in May and found a notice that you had been selected for further processing or a notice that you had not been selected, that notice has been rescinded and is no longer valid.

A new selection process will be conducted based on the original entries for the 2012 program.

You submitted a qualified entry between October 5, 2010 and November 3, 2010. Your entry remains with us and will be included in the new selection lottery. Your confirmation number to check results on the Entrant Status Check website is still valid.

If you lost or destroyed your confirmation number, please click here:

https://ceac.state.gov/ccd/pls/public/edv_confirmation_num.php?p=CBE31CB232DBB40CBF48B3492EC4076A

We expect the results of the new selection process to be available on or about July 15, 2011 at http://www.dvlottery.state.gov

We regret any inconvenience or disappointment this might have caused.

We regret to inform you that, because of a computer programming error, the results of the 2012 Diversity Lottery that were previously posted on the Department of State Entrant Status Check website have been voided. The results were not valid because they did not represent a fair, random selection of entrants, as required by U.S. law. They were posted in error.

Here are some answers to frequently asked questions:

Q: Why was it necessary to invalidate the names that were selected?
U.S. law requires that Diversity Immigrant visas be made available through a strictly random process. A computer programming error resulted in a selection that was not truly random.
Since the computer programming error caused an outcome that was not random, the outcome did not meet the requirements of the law, and would have been unfair to many DV entrants.

Q: Is the 2012 Diversity Visa Program cancelled?
No. The 2012 program will continue. The computer programming error has been identified and corrected. The Department of State will run a new selection using all the qualified entries submitted for the 2012 program (received between October 5, 2010 and November 3, 2010).

Q: Do I have to submit a new application?
No. You may not submit a new application. We will use all qualified entries received during the October 5 to November 3, 2010 registration period.

Q: Will you open a new entry period?
No. New entries will not be accepted.

Q: I checked the Entry Status Check website after May 1 and it said I had been selected. Can I apply for a DV visa?
Unfortunately, results previously posted on this website are not valid because the selection process was not fair or random. We will take the entries of all individuals who sent in their registration during the original October 5 to November 3, 2010 time period and run a new lottery. We regret any inconvenience or disappointment this has caused.

Q: How can I check the results of the new selection?
The new results should be available on this website on or about July 15, 2011. The confirmation code you received when you registered is still valid for use on the website.

Q: Was the Department of State hacked? Was my personal information at risk?
We have no evidence that this problem was caused by any intentional act. No unauthorized party accessed data related to the DV program.
This appears to be solely the result of a computer programming error.

Q: You said the Department of State would not contact DV entrants by e-mail. Why are you sending this one now?
Because of the computer error, we decided it was important to notify every person who might have seen incorrect information on the website. An e-mail was the fastest way to reach DV entrants.
Winners in the new selection process will not be notified by e-mail. The results of the new selection process will only be available on the Entrant Status Check website (http://www.dvlottery.state.gov) on or about July 15, 2011.

Q: I thought I was selected, and I sent application forms to the Kentucky Consular Center. What should I do now?
Those forms will not be processed by the Kentucky Consular Center, because they were submitted in connection with the lottery result that was voided. We cannot reimburse you for any costs, such as postage, that you may have paid to send these forms to the Kentucky Consular Center. You should check the Entrant Status Check website on or about July 15 to see if you are selected in the repeated lottery selection process. If you are selected again, we ask that you simply follow the instructions given in the notification letter, including the step of mailing your completed application forms to the Kentucky Consular Center, once again.

Q: I thought I was selected. I am in the United State and contacted US Citizenship and Immigration Services about adjustment of status. What should I do now?
USCIS will not process any adjustment of status cases based on the voided DV selection process. If you already paid the $440 DV fee to the USBank lockbox based on your belief that you had been selected, you may request a refund from KCC through the following mailing address:

Kentucky Consular Center
3505 Highway 25-W North
Williamsburg, Kentucky 40769

My first thought was that the web-site was hacked and that all the applicants were receiving spam. But it appeared that this was a genuine legit e-mail from the US Department of State:

http://contact-us.state.gov/cgi-bin/state.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=275&p_created=1305304990&p_sid=Yv5whruk&p_accessibility=0&p_redirect=&p_srch=&p_lva=&p_sp=cF9zcmNoPSZwX3NvcnRfYnk9JnBfZ3JpZHNvcnQ9JnBfcm93X2NudD05NCw5NCZwX3Byb2RzPSZwX2NhdHM9JnBfcHY9JnBfY3Y9JnBfc2VhcmNoX3R5cGU9YW5zd2Vycy5zZWFyY2hfbmwmcF9wYWdlPTE!&p_li=&p_topview=1

We regret to inform you that, due to a computer programming problem, the results of the 2012 Diversity Lottery that were previously posted on this website have been voided. They were not valid and were posted in error. The results were not valid because they did not represent a fair, random selection of entrants, as required by U.S. law.

If you checked this website during the first week in May and found a notice that you had been selected for further processing or a notice that you had not been selected, that notice has been rescinded and is no longer valid.

A new selection process will be conducted based on the original entries for the 2012 program.

If you submitted a qualified entry from October 5, 2010 to November 3, 2010, your entry remains with us. It will be included in the new selection lottery. Your confirmation number to check results on this website is still valid.

We expect the results of the new selection process to be available on this website on or about July 15, 2011.

Important notice regarding the 2012 Diversity Lottery Program: he current status of the 2012 Diversity Visa Lottery Program

We regret any inconvenience this might have caused.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why was it necessary to invalidate the names that were selected?

• U.S. law requires that Diversity Immigrant visas be made available through a strictly random process. A computer programming error resulted in a selection that was not truly random.

• Since the computer programming error caused an outcome that was not random, the outcome did not meet the requirements of the law, and would have been unfair to many DV entrants.

Q: Is the 2012 Diversity Visa Program cancelled?

• No. The 2012 program will continue. The computer programming error has been identified and corrected. The Department of State will run a new selection using all the qualified entries (ones received between October 5, 2010 and November 3, 2010) it received for the 2012 program.

Q: Do I have to submit a new application?

• No. You may not submit a new application. We will use all qualified entries received during the October 5 to November 3, 2010 registration period.

Q: Will you open a new entry period?

• New entries will not be accepted.

Q: I checked the Entry Status Check website after May 1 and it said I had been selected. Can I apply for a DV visa?

• Unfortunately results previously posted on this website were not valid because the selection process was not fair or random. We will take the entries of all individuals who sent in their registration during the original October 5 to November 3, 2010 time period and run a new lottery. We regret any inconvenience or disappointment this has caused. We expect new results to be available on this website on or about July 15, 2011.

Q: How can I check the results of the new selection?

• The new results should be available on this website on or about July 15, 2011. The confirmation code you received when you registered is still valid for use on the website.

Q: Was the Department of State hacked? Was my personal information at risk?

• We have no evidence that this problem was caused by any intentional act. No unauthorized party accessed data related to the DV program.

• This appears to be solely the result of a computer programming error.

Are Ashford.com and TheWatchery.com watches 100% real authentic watches or not trusted and legit?

Requests I got about whether Ashford and TheWatchery watches are real, authentic, trusted, legitimate or fake

After posting coupon codes for Ashford and coupon codes for TheWatchery in 2008-2009, I got dozens of requests about authenticity and legitimacy of the watches sold on these web-sites:

are ebel watches sold on ashford.com real
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My shopping experience on Ashford and TheWatchery proves the watches are real and authentic

Real authentic Women's watches from Ashford and TheWatchery: Hamilton, Concord, Movado

I’ve bought the following watched from Ashford.com and TheWatchery in 2008:

• Concord, La Scala, Women’s Watch
• Raymond Weil 2836-P-00807
• Hamilton H24291952
• Movado Revi, Women’s Watch 0605545
• Seiko, Adventure Series, Men’s Watch SNA414
• Bulova Dress, Women’s Watch, 98W06
• Guess 24001G3
• Anne Klein 10-7476INST

I’m not an expert in watches, but I’m sure these watches are 100% real authentic watches. The only problem I had is that the battery of Movado Revi watch died after 3 months of usage, so I had to replace it (Not a big problem considering a 90% discount from the retail price). All other watches still work just fine, and we don’t correct time on them manually. If they had been fake, I guess all of them would have died already. At least counterfeit watches usually run too fast or too slow, or their exterior shows their low quality in less than a year. Besides you can definitely notice the quality by the interior unless you buy something very cheap. So Ashford and TheWatchery are not a scam or fraud.

If you are an expert in watches, I can provide you pictures as well as take a look onto things that can confirm that my Concord La Scala, Raymond Weil, Hamilton, Movado, Seiko, Bulova, Guess are 100% real authentic watches.

I can recommend Ashford and TheWatchery watches as 100% real, authentic and legitimate

I’m still happy I have bought 100% real authentic watches on Ashford and TheWatchery! I can recommend to purchase watches in both shops.

Is USAFIS Organization legit or scam?

USAFIS Organization alerts consumers:

Every day, internet users receive emails that tells them they won a Green Card. Con artists and swindlers have found a new avenue to pitch their frauds — the Internet. Fraud is a crime!
Email makes it easier for the scammer to commit fraud. Con artists are very persuasive, using all types of excuses,
explanations, and offers to lead you away from common sense.

Beware of Imposters

There are companies posing as USAFIS wishing to scam you of your money.
The following two emails have been reported to us that are using the USAFIS name.

How do you know it is scam?

Example of e-mail scams
The following are Examples of email claiming to be from the USAFIS.
Do not reply to these emails or give them any money!

U.S. Department of State gov.state.dv@usa.com scam e-mail

usafis.org usafis.net@consultant.com scam e-mail

Notice!
The scammer is asking money to be wire transferred to a PRIVATE BANK ACCOUNT and not to Usafis Organization.

Wire transfer fraud: Send Western Union payment to "24 Grosvenor Square, London, W1A 2LQ, United Kingdom"

How do you know it is us?

USAFIS email will always have USAFIS ORGANIZATION as the beneficiary

USAFIS never asks for payment for processing:

1. U.S. visa
2. Green Card

We never include notifications that you will receive another email from outside organizations.
Only once a year (May-July) USAFIS informs its clients, selected in the U.S. Green Card Lottery program, they have won.
Once a person is selected in the program, he or she works directly with their local U.S. Embassy and not with USAFIS.

You can’t buy a green card

If a person is selected by the green card lottery, the individual works directly with their local U.S.
embassy or consulate to complete the green card process. Companies trying to scam people of their money will usually claim a central U.S. embassy address of where the money is going to.

The U.S Federal Trade Commission Tips

The U.S Federal Trade Commission the nation’s consumer protection agency, has warned about other companies misrepresenting their services by saying that:

• They are affiliated with the U.S. government;
• They have special expertise or entry form that is required to enter the lottery;
• Their company has never had a lottery entry rejected;
• Their company can increase an entrant’s chances of “winning” the lottery;
• People from ineligible countries still are “qualified” to enter the lottery.

Contacting the Federal Trade Commission:
If you think you are a victim of a green card lottery scam, contact the Federal
Trade Commission toll-free at 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357). Source of Information:

http://www.ftc.gov

Protecting Yourself from Fraud

In addition, some companies jeopardize an entrant’s opportunity to participate in
the lottery by filing several entries. These companies also may charge lottery-winning
applicants substantial fees to complete the application process.

The Federal Trade Commission says the best way to protect against green card lottery
scams is to understand how the State Department’s lottery works.

• There’s no charge to enter the green card lottery. You can enter on your
  own at the State Department’s Web site – www.dvlottery.state.gov.
  You’ll need to answer a few questions and provide passport-style digital photographs.
  You’ll get an acknowledgment from the State Department once you’ve submitted your
  entry.

• Hiring a company or attorney to enter the lottery for you is your decision, but
  the person you pay will have to follow the same procedure. And your chance of being
  selected is the same whether you submit the entry or you pay someone to do it for
  you.

• Submit only one entry. If you submit more than one, you will be disqualified.
• Selection of entries is random. Spouses who are eligible for the DV lottery
  can apply separately; the “losing” spouse can enter the country on the Diversity
  Visa of the “winning” spouse. This is the only legitimate way to significantly increase
  your chance of entering the U.S. through the DV lottery.

• Be alert to Web sites promising government travel or residency documents online
  or by mail. Except for entering the DV lottery, most applications for visas,
  passports, green cards, and other travel and residency documents must be completed
  in person before an officer of the U.S. government.

• Be thoughtful about who you send your personal documents to. Unless you have
  an established relationship with a business, do not mail birth certificates, passports,
  drivers’ licenses, marriage certificates, Social Security cards, or other documents
  with your personal identifying information to businesses promising to complete your
  application for travel or residency documents. These businesses may be engaged in
  identity theft.

• Be skeptical of Web sites posing as U.S. government sites. They may have
  domain names similar to government agencies, official-looking emblems (eagles, flags,
  or other American images like the Statue of Liberty or the U.S. Capitol), the official
  seals or logos of – and links to – other government sites, and list Washington,
  D.C., mailing addresses. If the domain name doesn’t end in “.gov,” it’s not a government
  site. Bogus sites may charge for government forms. Don’t pay; government forms and
  instructions for completing them are available from the issuing U.S. government
  agency for free.

To file a complaint or get free information on consumer issues, visit ftc.gov or call toll-free, 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357); TTY: 1-866-653-4261. Watch a new video, How to File a Complaint, at ftc.gov/video to learn more. The FTC enters consumer complaints into
the Consumer Sentinel Network, a secure online database and investigative tool used by hundreds of civil and criminal law enforcement agencies
in the U.S. and abroad.

As you can see USAFIS Organization warns its consumers about scams and frauds.

If you haven’t used USAFIS for participating in the DV lottery, but received “USAFIS Organization – Diversity Visa (DV) winner” and “U.S. Department of State – Permanent Resident Card for vasya pupkin” e-mails from gov.state.visa@usa.com and gov.states.visa@usa.com then this is definitely a scam.

Also note that the scammers know your name, e-mail, phone number and IP address used for application. Was this information gotten without USAFIS Organization being involved one way or another? Was USAFIS protecting customer’s information properly?

Anyway there are many web-sites like USAFIS that “help” you to participate in the Diversity Visa Lottery Program for a fee. They may do what they say, BUT you can enter the DV lottery for FREE if you apply online on the official DV lottery web-site (U.S. Department of State). The application process on the www.dvlottery.state.gov is pretty simple. Even if you have any questions about it, ask you friends or ask in one of the immigration forums.

My verdict:
Stay away from companies like USAFIS. Apply on the official DV lottery web-site (U.S. Department of State) for FREE.

“United States Permanent Resident Card” spam from gov.states.visa@usa.com asking to send USD $880 payment for visa processing via Western Union

Got “USAFIS Organization – Diversity Visa (DV) winner” and “U.S. Department of State – Permanent Resident Card for vasya pupkin” e-mails from gov.state.visa@usa.com and gov.states.visa@usa.com? Then read the warning on the usembassy.gov web-site:

The U.S. Department of State warns DV lottery applicants:

If you have received an email notifying you that your application for the Diversity Visa (DV) Program has been successful and that in order to proceed with your application you are required to send money to a named individual at the U.S. Embassy in London, you are a victim of a scam.

Successful DV applicants are notified by the Department of State, Kentucky Consular Center (KCC) by letter, NOT email and are provided instructions on how to proceed to the next step in the process. The KCC will NOT ask you to send money to them or to this Embassy or any other U.S. Embassy by mail or by services such as Western Union.

For those of you who have applied for DV-2012 official notification of selection will be made on line through the Entry Status Check which will be available from May 1, 2011 on the E-DV website at http://www.dvlottery.state.gov

Remember, successful DV applicants are notified by the Department of State, Kentucky Consular Center (KCC). No other organization or private company is authorized by the Department of State to notify DV applicants of their winning entry, or the next steps in the processing of applying for their visa.

FTC also alerts consumers:

Diversity Visa Lottery: Read the Rules, Avoid the Rip-Offs

If you or someone you know is trying to get a green card — the right to live in the United States permanently — be on the lookout for unscrupulous businesses and attorneys. They’ll claim that, for a fee, they can make it easier to enter the U. S. State Department’s annual Diversity Visa (DV) lottery (also known as the “green card lottery”) or increase your chances of winning the DV lottery.

Each year, the State Department conducts a lottery through its DV program to distribute applications for 50,000 immigrant visas. Winners of the lottery have a chance to apply for an immigrant visa, which can be used to enter the U. S. Winners are selected randomly, and there is no fee to enter the lottery.

Entries to the DV lottery must be submitted online at www.dvlottery.state.gov. (This site is only accessible during the application period.) Paper entries or mail-in requests will not be accepted. Lottery entrants must include a passport-style digital photograph and separate digital photographs of any spouse and children under 21 years of age. Group photographs are not allowed. Check with the State Department for technical requirements of the digital photograph.

Entries are accepted for a limited time. For the DV-2009 Lottery (to be conducted in 2007), the application period is from October 3, 2007, through December 2, 2007. DV-2009 visas will be issued between October 1, 2008 and September 30, 2009. Check with the State Department for entry dates for future DV lotteries.

Entrants may submit only one entry during any particular DV lottery; those who submit more than one entry will be disqualified. Spouses may submit separate entries, however, if each meets the eligibility requirements. If only one spouse is selected, the other may enter the country on the Diversity Visa of the winning spouse.

The DV lottery has two eligibility requirements:

1. The entrant must be from an eligible country. You must have been born in an eligible country, or have parents who were born in eligible countries and who were not residents of your country of birth, when you were born. For example, your parents might have lived temporarily in the ineligible country because of their jobs.

   Every year, the State Department announces the countries whose natives are ineligible for application. For the DV-2009 lottery, natives of the following countries are not eligible to apply: Brazil, Canada, China (mainland born), Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, India, Jamaica, Mexico, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Russia, South Korea, United Kingdom (except Northern Ireland) and its dependent territories,and Vietnam. Persons born in Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan are eligible. Applicants should check with the State Department to determine the ineligible countries for future DV lotteries.

2. Entrants must meet an education or training requirement. You will have met the education requirement if you have a high school education or have successfully completed a 12-year course of elementary and secondary education. You will have met the training requirement if you have at least two years of work experience within the past five years in an occupation requiring at least two years of training or experience to perform. The U.S. Department of Labor’s O*Net OnLine database will be used to determine qualifying work experience.

Green Card Lottery Scams

According the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the nation’s consumer protection agency, some businesses and attorneys misrepresent their services by saying that:

• they are affiliated with the U.S. government;
• they have special expertise or a special entry form that is required to enter the lottery;
• their company has never had a lottery entry rejected;
• their company can increase an entrant’s chances of “winning” the lottery;
• people from ineligible countries still are “qualified” to enter the lottery.

In addition, some companies jeopardize an entrant’s opportunity to participate in the lottery by filing several entries. These companies also may charge lottery-winning applicants substantial fees to complete the application process.

Protecting Yourself from Fraud

The FTC says the best way to protect against green card lottery scams is to understand how the State Department’s lottery works.

• There’s no charge to enter the green card lottery. You can enter on your own at the State Department’s Web site ­— www.dvlottery.state.gov. You’ll need to answer a few questions and provide passport-style digital photographs. You’ll get an acknowledgment from the State Department once you’ve submitted your entry.

  Hiring a company or attorney to enter the lottery for you is your decision, but the person you pay will have to follow the same procedure. And your chance of being selected is the same whether you submit the entry or you pay someone to do it for you.

• Submit only one entry. If you submit more than one, you will be disqualified.
• Selection of entries is random. Spouses who are eligible for the DV lottery can apply separately; the “losing” spouse can enter the country on the Diversity Visa of the “winning” spouse. This is the only legitimate way to significantly increase your chance of entering the U.S. through the DV lottery.
• Be alert to Web sites promising government travel or residency documents online or by mail. Except for entering the DV lottery, most applications for visas, passports, green cards, and other travel and residency documents must be completed in person before an officer of the U.S. government.
• Be thoughtful about who you send your personal documents to. Unless you have an established relationship with a business, do not mail birth certificates, passports, drivers’ licenses, marriage certificates, Social Security cards, or other documents with your personal identifying information to businesses promising to complete your application for travel or residency documents. These businesses may be engaged in identity theft.
• Be skeptical of Web sites posing as U.S. government sites. They may have domain names similar to government agencies, official-looking emblems (eagles, flags, or other American images like the Statue of Liberty or the U.S. Capitol), the official seals or logos of — and links to — other government sites, and list Washington, D.C., mailing addresses. If the domain name doesn’t end in “.gov,” it’s not a government site. Bogus sites may charge for government forms. Don’t pay; government forms and instructions for completing them are available from the issuing U.S. government agency for free.

For More Information

For details about the State Department’s Diversity Visa lottery, visit www.dvlottery.state.gov. You also may call the State Department’s Visa Services’ Public Inquiries Branch at 202-663-1225. This number has recorded information with an option to speak with a visa specialist during normal business hours. Those overseas should contact the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate.

The FTC works to prevent fraudulent, deceptive and unfair business practices in the marketplace and to provide information to help consumers spot, stop and avoid them. To file a complaint or get free information on consumer issues, visit ftc.gov or call toll-free, 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357); TTY: 1-866-653-4261. Watch a video, How to File a Complaint, at ftc.gov/video to learn more. The FTC enters consumer complaints into the Consumer Sentinel Network, a secure online database and investigative tool used by hundreds of civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad.

October 2007

Do not just delete e-mails from scammers. Make copies of these e-mails with headers and report the fraud to an U.S. civil or criminal law enforcement agency. You can easily do it online:
How to report a scam or fraud to U.S. government (civil and criminal law enforcement agency) online?