Beware Visa Lottery E-mail Scams

If you’re an immigrant seeking to become a lawful permanent resident (that is, seeking a green card) and you received an e-mail claiming that you won a spot in the 2014 Diversity Visa Lottery, don’t respond. And if you receive a request for money to claim your spot in the lottery, definitely don’t respond. E-mails and letters offering you a winning spot in the lottery are scams, particularly those asking for money.

The FTC warns:

The truth is, the only way to check the status of your application is to visit dvlottery.state.gov. If you get an email or letter from someone telling you that you won, it’s a scam.

Checking your diversity visa lottery status is free. If you have been selected to receive a visa, you will have to pay an application fee to the U.S. Embassy or Consulate but only when you go for a scheduled appointment.

If you suspect you’ve been targeted by a scammer, you can submit a complaint to the FTC.