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
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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
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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that you had been selected for further processing or a notice that you had not been selected, that notice has been rescinded and is no longer valid.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.

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 http://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?

Scam, fraud and spam from usafis.org: “USAFIS Organization – Diversity Visa (DV) winner” and “U.S. Department of State – Permanent Resident Card for vasya pupkin” e-mails from gov.states.visa@usa.com

“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

A friend of mine received a couple of messages from usafis.org. The first e-mail was from gov.state.visa@usa.com:

Date: 2011/2/21
Subject: USAFIS Organization – Diversity Visa (DV) winner
To: vasya pupkin <vasyapupkin@gmail.com>

vasya pupkin , You accepted to receive messages from USAFIS Organization on the following date: 2009-11-08T10:56:21.563

We wish to notify you that you have been selected as one of the Diversity Visa (DV) Program winner for receiving a United States Permanent Resident Card. It is also known as the Green Card Lottery. The lottery has been administered on an annual basis by the Department of State and conducted under the terms of Section 203(c) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).
Section 131 of the Immigration Act of 1990 (Pub. L. 101-649) amended INA 203 to provide for a new class of immigrants known as "diversity immigrants" (DV immigrants).
As part of the agreement we will issueВ  A FREE Airline ticket from your country to the USA to claim your Green Card under the American Green Card Lottery Program. The ticket will be sent via post mail at your address registered with us once your visa will beВ  remitted by the U.S department of State.
The U.S Department of State will should contact you soon with visa processing information and how to proceed further.

If you have any question regarding the visa please wait for the U.S Department of State to contact you as we do not have any competency to discuss further details with you.
What should you do now ?
Wait for the U.S Department of State to contact you and give you the information about visa processing and how to proceed further .

Best regards,
Costumer Service Team

The USAFIS Organization

You accepted to receive messages from USAFIS Organization on the following date: 2009-11-08T10:56:XX.XXX

For reference, your computer IP: XXX.XXX.XX.XXX was recorded to confirm your registration
To no longer receive messages from USAFIS Organization, please click the following link: Click Here
Send a postal request to: USAFIS Organization 2576 Broadway # 443 New York, NY 10025 U.S.A

U.S. Department of State gov.states.visa@usa.com scam e-mail

And the second e-mail was from gov.states.visa@usa.com:

From: U.S. Department of State <gov.states.visa@usa.com>

Date: 2011/2/21
Subject: U.S. Department of State – Permanent Resident Card for vasya pupkin
To: vasya pupkin <vasyapupkin@gmail.com>

U.S. Department of State sent this message

to vasya pupkin (vasyapupkin@gmail.com)

Your registered name is included to show this message originated from U.S. Department of State.

В  Congratulations, you've won !

Dear vasya pupkin , Congratulations ! You are among those randomly selected and registered for further consideration in the diversity immigrant program. Selection guarantees that you will receive a United States Permanent Resident Card(also known as Green Card or Diversity Visa) only if you follow the instructions for further processing. Acceptance Date: Monday 21st of February 2011 07:17:03 PM Winner Name: vasya pupkin Country of Birth: Russia Phone Number: 7-XXX-XXXXXXX

Is the Diversity Visa FREE ? No. There is a big confusion. Only the participation in the Diversity Visa Lottery was free but the winners must pay the visa processing fees. The fee is used to process your visa related documents and verify your identity.

Fees: Type of Residence Card Status Amount (per person) United States Permanent Resident Card Granted! – Waiting for payment of processing fee $880 Processing fees Included Total $880 INSTRUCTIONS Please read and follow all the instructions very carefully. With the Diversity Visa (also known as Green Card) you will enjoy all the advantages and benefits of a US permanent resident, including health and education benefits, and employment opportunities along with guidance in your new country, orientation sessions and programs to integrate into mainstream American society. Once received you can use it at any time you want to move in the United States or just travel. The visa must be renewed after 10 years. Although you will have all the rights that a U.S. citizen has in the United States, without a relative or friend in the United States you may find the relocation difficult and expensive due the lack of experience in the American society. Therefore the U.S. Government helps you with the accommodation and offers you along with each visa Health Insurance (Freedom HSA Direct Individual Health insurance for 1 year), Dwelling(Apartment in any city you prefer, 1 bedroom for 3 months ), a guaranteed job(in the field that you are are currently qualified so you can start working even from the first week you arrive in the United States and get paid as U.S citizen. ) and education (for U.S. Students or Higher Education through EducationUSA. It includes transfer to a U.S college or Univeristy so you can continue your educational study. More details can be found at http://educationusa.state.gov/ .) We remind you that only the visa processing fee ($880) is mandatory and the visa is guaranteed upon receiving the payment. Accompanying family members(wife/husband, fiancee, brothers, sisters, children, cousins) may be included in the program and their visas will be provided at the same time with yours so you can travel/move together in the same time. However the fees must be paid per person and each member(e.g wife, brother, parents, children, cousin) must pay $880. There is no discount for children. Visa Payment processing instructions The fees must be paid using Western Union money transfer and will be processed by the U.S. embassy in the United Kingdom. Western Union is a leading provider of International person-to-person money transfer. With more than 150 years experience and 245,000 Agent locations in over 200 countries and territories, Western Union is recognized for sending money quickly, reliably, and safety. You can send the payment in U.S. dollars or equivalent of your local currency. Click on the following link to find the nearest Western Union agency and send the fees payment : Find Western Union Agency If you are unable to find a Western Union agency near your location, you may ask a relative or friend to pay the fee on your behalf. After you find a Western Union agency you need to go with cash money, an identity card(e.g passport or national identity card) and send the payment to the U.S. embassy agent address in United Kingdom: Name : John Roberts Address: 24 Grosvenor Square London, W1A 2LQ United Kingdom The payment must be sent to the above U.S. embassy agent address in United Kingdom because the U.S. Government decided this based on the diplomatic relations with your country. В  В  After you send the payment follow the next steps : a) Email copy/scan of the Western Union receipt at gov.state.visa@usa.com b) Email at gov.state.visa@usa.com with the following details (you can find them on the money transfer receipt): 1) Money Transfer Control Number (MTCN): 2) Exact sender's name on file with Western Union: 3) Exact sender's address on file with Western Union: 4) Exact receiver's name on file with Western Union: 5) Amount sent: Then wait for the confirmation that the payment was received. Within 72 hours, you will receive a confirmation via email with your Case Number/Confirmation Number and exact date and time(approx. 2 days) of the final interview. Upon successful interview you will receive your documents and travel information to move in the United States. Under no circumstances your visa status won't be affected by the interview. В

В В Important Notice! The payment must be sent via Western Union no later than March 8, 2011. You are strongly encouraged not to wait until the last day to pay. Heavy demand may result in system delays. Under no circumstances can diversity visas be issued or adjustments approved after this date, nor can family members obtain diversity visas to follow-to-join the principal applicant in the U.S. after this date. The visa processing fee(US$ 880) is mandatory for each person and the U.S. Government doesn't offer any discount, loan or exception. You have been selected winner of the Diversity Visa lottery so the visa is guaranteed upon receiving the payment fees on time. A hard copy of this letter will be mailed to your postal address upon receiving the payment fees. Please be advised that even through you are a winner of Diversity Visa your Case Number/Confirmation Number will be provided only after you send the payment confirmation of the fees. Please do not contact us to ask for the Case Number/Confirmation Number. If it would be necessary to contact the U.S. Department of state YOU MUST ALWAYS REFER TO YOUR NAME. The email address is gov.state.visa@usa.com CONFIDENTIALITY STATEMENT: AUTHORITIES: The information asked for on this form is requested pursuant to Section 222 of the Immigration and Nationality Act. Section 222(f) provides that the records of the Department of State and of diplomatic and consular offices of the United States pertaining to the issuance and refusal of visas or permits to enter the United States shall be considered confidential and shall be used only for the formulation, amendment, administration, or enforcement of the immigration, nationality, and other laws of the United States. Certified copies of such records may be made available to a court provided the court certifies that the information contained in such records is needed in a case pending before the court. PURPOSE: The U.S. Department of State uses the facts you provide on this form primarily to determine your assification and eligibility for a U.S. immigrant visa. Individuals who fail to submit this form or who do not provide all the requested information may be denied a U.S. immigrant visa. Although furnishing this information is voluntary, failure to provide this information may delay or prevent the processing of your case. ROUTINE USES: If you are issued an immigrant visa and are subsequently admitted to the United States as an immigrant, the Department of Homeland Security will use the information on this form to issue you a Permanent Resident Card, and, if you so indicate, the Social Security Administration will use the information to issue a social security number. The information provided may also be released to federal agencies for law enforcement, counterterrorism and homeland security purposes; to Congress and courts within their sphere of jurisdiction; and to other federal agencies who may need the information to administer or enforce U.S. laws.

Are e-mails from gov.state.visa@usa.com and gov.states.visa@usa.com a scam or fraud?

Basically the e-mails ask you to send USD $880 to

Name : John Roberts
Address: 24 Grosvenor Square
London, W1A 2LQ
United Kingdom

using Western Union. This is definitely a scam. Can you believe that the U.S. government can ask you to send any money using a person-to-person transfer? And can you believe that you need to send them to the U.K.?

The scammer uses a nice trick with

U.S. Department of State
gov.states.visa@usa.com

and

gov.state.visa@usa.com

Note that usa.com is a private domain name owned by World Media Group LLC, so it doesn’t belong to the U.S. government.
The U.S. government uses .gov domains, not .org, not .com domains. The U.S. department of State uses the www.state.gov domain. If you don’t know anything about domain names, ask a computer savvy person to help you.
As you can see the beginning of the gov.states.visa@usa.com and gov.state.visa@usa.com e-mail addresses tries to imitate http://www.state.gov, although the reversed order is used. This is indeed confusing for novice users.

p.s. I also like

Best regards,
Costumer Service Team
The USAFIS Organization

Costumer Service LOL

How to avoid DV Lottery (Green card lottery) scams and frauds

If you want to participate in a DV lottery (Green card lottery) or check whether you have won the green card or not, use the official DV lottery web-site (U.S. Department of State). Or search for the “U.S. Department of State” with google.

Do NOT use any companies like usafis.org. The application process on the http://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.

Also note that if you will become a winner in the DV lottery (green card lottery), you should receive a letter (not just an e-mail, but a physical letter) from the U.S. Department of State. And you will be able to check your status on www.dvlottery.state.gov for FREE!

How to report DV Lottery (Green card lottery) scam or fraud to U.S. civil or criminal law enforcement agency

Got e-mails from scammers like the ones from gov.state.visa@usa.com and gov.states.visa@usa.com? Do not just delete them. 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?