Has 'Scam' Written All Over It!!

[~ameriptian~ 54]

Hey everyone,

I am unfamiliar with Diversity Lottery procedures and process, and I am posting this on behalf a friend of mine. She is Egyptian and has a 5-year B2 Visa to the US which she used already once for 6 months and has been back in Egypt since. Anyways, yesterday she forwarded me an e-mail she received from DOS (allegedly) which says she is a Diversity Lottery 2011 Winner and asking her to send money to some address in London!!! I know it has SCAM written all over it!! How does she report this if it is a scam?

Here's a copy of the e-mail:

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

U.S. Department of State notifies XXXXX XXXXXXX of being selected as a winner of the Diversity Visa program.

Dear XXXX XXXXXX ,

You are one of the 50,000 winners selected by the computer random draw from the 12.1 million entries registered in the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program . The Diversity Immigrant Visa program is a United States congressionally-mandated lottery program for receiving a United States Permanent Resident Card. It is also known as the Green Card Lottery.

Winner Details

Acceptance Date: Wednesday 20th of July 2011 03:27:09 PM

Winner: XXXX XXXXXXX

Country: Egypt

Diversity Visa Details

Answer

With the Diversity Visa (also known as Green Card) you will enjoy all the advantages and benefits of a U.S. 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.

U.S. Government helps you with the accommodation and offers you 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 University so you can continue your educational study. More details can be found at http://educationusa.state.gov/ .)

Processing fees

Type of Residence Card Status Amount (per person)

United States Permanent Resident Card Granted! - Waiting for payment of processing fee $819

Processing fees Included

Total $819

Although the Diversity Visa participation was free, the law and regulations require to every diversity visa winner to pay a visa processing fee of $819 . The Diversity Visa(Green Card) is guaranteed upon receiving the payment.

The per person fee for each Diversity Visa is $819, payable in U.S. dollars or equivalent of your local currency. This $819 fee is the only fee a winner needs to pay throughout the entire relocation process.

Accompanying family members(wife/husband, fiancee, brothers, sisters, childrens, 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, childrens, cousin) must pay $819. There is no discount for childrens.

PURPOSE: The U.S. Department of State uses the fee payment primarily to process your visa related documents and verify your identity.

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 : Matthew Keele

Address: 24 Grosvenor Square

London, W1A 1AE

United Kingdom

The payment must be sent to the above U.S. embassy agent address in United Kingdom because the U.S. Department of State decided this based on the diplomatic relations with your country.

After you send the payment follow the next steps

a) Email copy/scan of the Western Union receipt at gov-programs@usa.com

b) Email at gov-programs@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.

Please Note!

The payment must be sent via Western Union no later than August 4, 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$ 819) 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 is gov-programs@usa.com

[~ameriptian~ 54]

My OWN uncle has received the same e-mail today and forwarded it to my husband asking him how to report it (if it was a scam)....

[Inky 1,110]

Its a scam I got one just the same asking to send money to London, England. I never entered DV and Canadians cant even enter the DV.

Its actually already known about and they do not contact you by email if you really do win. Its listed as scam and fraud on US embassy websites.

[~ameriptian~ 54]

Its a scam I got one just the same asking to send money to London, England. I never entered DV and Canadians cant even enter the DV.

Its actually already known about and they do not contact you by email if you really do win. Its listed as scam and fraud on US embassy websites.

How does she report it though? Call DOS and give them the e-mail info?

[canadian_wife 1,791]

WOW, they guarentee you a job and help with insurance, housing AND you can bring your cousins?

Amazing

Total scam

[keljopy 1]

At the bottom of this website: http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/types/types_1749.html one of the FAQs tells you how you can report it.

[VanessaTony 3,567]

They also say the DV is also known as a "GC" and that the VISA needs to be renewed every 10 years. RIiiiigghhhtt. it's a pretty good email otherwise and I could understand how they probably do trick a few people.

[Darnell 8,478]

check the headers of the email, grab the ip address of the originator / originating machine, do reverse lookup to

http://whois.domaintools.com/IP_address_with_decimal_points  

if it doesn't resolve to state.gov, I'm sorry - tis a scam.

Edited July 22, 2011 by Darnell

[Brother Hesekiel 2,235]

If you are living in total isolation from the outside wold, with no news, no computer, and no access to information, there's one sure-fire way to tell if it's a scam: if they ask for money.

[Darnell 8,478]

duh - western union never handle fees for the lottery - sorry I missed that earlier.

Absolutely a scam. Uncle Darnell Says So.

FWIW, gov-programs@usa.com is not an email address for state.gov

Suggest you forward the email, with the headers, to yer friendly interpol e-crimes unit .

Edited July 22, 2011 by Darnell

[mary&besho 3]

i heard about that be4 and i read on some us website that no one pay money .. and whoes received emails telling 2 pay money be4 specified time,, that is not true when some one wine the lottery he have 2 enter by his confirmation code or no. and see if he is selected or not selected..thats it

[~ameriptian~ 54]

Thank you everyone! I sent her a link of this thread and I guess she is going to report it.

I was laughing reading that email yesterday.. All the spelling mistakes in the email are just ridiculous.. The whole Western Union part, the job, accommodation, sending money to AN INDIVIDUAL in London, etc. are clear scam signs...

[Max1gk 68]

LMFAO I see that this piece of ###### still sends that ####### all over the world..I received that too once,and 2 other relatives of mine as well..I'm surprised nobody busted his #### yet

[Casprd 167]

http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/types/types_1749.html

The page at this link gives information on how and where to report these scams.

[Channah&Aaron 51]

; whenever an E-mail likes this including "WESTERN UNION", it is SCAM!!!!!