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!

[caption id="attachment_627" align="alignnone" width="129" caption="U.S. Department of State gov.state.dv@usa.com scam e-mail"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_634" align="alignnone" width="254" caption="usafis.org usafis.net@consultant.com scam e-mail"][/caption]

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

[caption id="attachment_630" align="alignnone" width="274" caption="Wire transfer fraud: Send Western Union payment to "24 Grosvenor Square, London, W1A 2LQ, United Kingdom""][/caption]

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.