USAFIS - Win A U.S. Green Card?
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I came across probably the most interesting advertisement I’ve ever seen today. It had a link advertising for me to win a United States green card. The privacy service I was using has a proxy service while browsing, so the website I was on probably thought I was outside of the United States at the time and was likely targeting foreigners. Having recently read about another growing international internet scam, I was interested to see how this one would work, so I did something I wouldn’t normally do - I clicked on the ad.
It took me here: http://www.usafis.org/_sys/EN/count_land3_en.asp?af=add_en_exm_300×250_en
I never knew getting a green card was so easy?
Of course they make it look like a US Government website. It even had a countdown timer of 5 minutes - so if you really want a Green Card you have to hurry! I was tempted to register to see what their next step is, but I decided to avoid the flood of spam (or the trouble of setting up a temporary online email account). The sad part is they probably extract money from hopeful foreigners - money they cant afford to lose. (Or who knows, maybe there’s a chance this thing is real…)
A friendly reminder to be careful of internet scams out there.
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Comments
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0 
0 I never cease to be amazed.
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0 0 Subject: Re: Misleading information concerning USAFIS Organization
Dear Joe,
It has come to our attention that USAFIS Organization has been mentioned in your site as a green card lottery website involved in scam internet issues. As herein detailed, the aforesaid publications are misleading and erroneous.
As the operators of USAFIS web site, we wish to furnish you with some significant details concerning USAFIS:
1. USAFIS ensures its clients that their application to the U.S. Diversity Visa Green Card program (DV) meets all the requirements outlined by the U.S. State Department before it is submitted.
2. USAFIS services include data inspection, correct completion of the application form, scanning of applicant’s photos and submission of the application in a timely manner.
3. USAFIS also indicates the option of using the U.S. Department of State’s website which is free of charge (http://www.usafis.org).
4. USAFIS does not charge its clients for registering to the DV, but only for its application inspection service.
5. Furthermore, USAFIS posts on its website that it does not charge its client for the application submission (http://www.usafis.org/faq/land_english.asp), in addition to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission’s warning about fraudulent green card lottery scams (http://www.usafis.org/consumer_alert.asp) which is published as well in USAFIS web site.
6. USAFIS prides itself for helping hundreds of thousands of people with their application to qualify for the Green Card Lottery program.
7. Our guarantee is that our customers’ application will qualify for the Green Card Lottery program and nothing else.
In consideration of the above, it is clear that classifying USAFIS web site as a scam green card lottery service is improper and in addition, causes severe damages to our organization.
Therefore, you are kindly requested to amend your misleading publications, print a retraction and remove the incorrect items of the aforesaid article, from your website.
Sincerely,
Ida Wilcox
Public Affairs Manager
USAFIS Organization
Vote:
0 0 Ida;
Just a few questions:
1. Why is it that your Terms and Conditions, Privacy Policy, Facts and FAQ’s etc., are available only in English?
2. How much is charged for the “application inspection service”?
3. How many people actually “WIN” green cards to the U.S. on an annual basis?
4. How do these answers (all of the above) compare with going through the U.S. State Department?
Thank you.
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0 0 Ida Wilcox,
Thank you for stopping by to share some information about your company.
Because you didn’t leave an email address or telephone number, I’m forced reply to your message from here.
I appreciate you wanting to defend your company. You’ve asked that I “amend your misleading publications, print a retraction and remove the incorrect items”.
First, I would ask exactly which statements above are you referring to as incorrect or misleading?
Next, I would say that by giving you the opportunity to clear up anything inaccurate here on this page may be even better for your business. I think this is a great opportunity to clear your companies name – not just on this page – but on other locations on the internet, because it appears that there are several people that have concerns with USAFIS’s business practices including:
http://www.complaintsboard.com/complaints/usafis-c12816.html
http://www.laborlawtalk.com/showthread.php?t=56683
http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20071020020956AAhqinQ
and many more.
I must say, based on my initial experience your company feels very questionable, but if that is not that case, I’d like to clear that up for everyone. And if you have a good, reputable company, providing a valuable service for the cost, that is not misleading people with your ads, I’d be willing to not only remove any incorrect or misleading statements - I’d write up a positive article reviewing your company and give you FREE advertising on this website for a time.
But let’s get some things cleared up to help us get there. To help with that, can you please answer the questions below:
Why is there a countdown clock on your application page (please visit the link provided in the original post above)? On that page there is clearly a countdown clock indicating a time limit allowing for only 5 minutes left for this “special offer” to “Win A Green Card to The USA”. What exactly happens if someone does not take advantage of the special offer within the 5 minutes? It looks like they miss out on their chance to win a green card, or at least the chance to apply. But looking further into your website, there is a nearly identical form here: https://www.usafis.org/masterssl/start.asp without a countdown clock. This appears to be a strategy I’ve seen with many telemarketers or high pressure salespeople indicating “today is the only day this discount/package/special offer is available. If you don’t buy today I can’t give it to you tomorrow.” When in trugh the offer is available to anyone and everyone all the time and used as nothing more than a dishonest tactic to create pressure to seal the deal. So please explain what exactly is the purpose of the clock, and what does someone miss out on if they don’t complete?
How does your program work?
When someone registers for the lottery, what services, exactly, does your company offer and what FEES are charged for those services?
Where online do you list your fees in advance?
Where on your website do you list a sales or customer service telephone number?
Where on your website do you list a contact email address for inquires prior to registration?
What is your company’s process of handling customer complaints? For example, below are two complaints found online from some apparent customers of USAFIS.org. What is your process in rectifying situations such as this?
” I have had a very bad experience with “USAFIS.org”. After receiving an email last fall to say we had won, and send money etc, we were advised it was fake. Since then I have been trying to get info from usafis, but all I am told is that we were entered and hadn’t won in 2005 or 2006. The emails are in badly written english. Today I finally got to speak to someone at the Kentucky Center and found out that we were actually drawn for the DV 2005, but my application was disqualified because my photo was in my wife’s place and hers in mine, and also hers was poor quality. What a blow. Our daughter lives in Ralaigh and we would dearly love to be near our newborn grandson. We could work so my wife could look after him. This mistake is a life altering one in that had it proceeded as hoped ours and our family’s lives would have changed forever, for the good. People like these have to be stopped. We paid for a service that was not provided. ”
” You may want to warn your readers to steer away from USAFIS. In 2003, I used my credit card number for a friend to make a green card application for him and his wife USAFIS for $69. In November 2004, I noted two charges, one for $89 and another for $25 on my credit card bill that I did not recognize. I, of course, challenged these charges and my credit card contacted the firm that had made the charges, and it turned out to be USAFIS. USAFIS had the nerve to fax my credit card company the bill from 2003, which carried a charge of $69 and which they had easily turned into $89 with the quick swipe of a pen. I have conacted USAFIS about this obvious fraud but to date have received no reply, and of this date I still have not managed to have this charge cleared from my credit card. I have sent all the information about this case to the US Attorney General’s Office for the Southern District of New York, and I also have reported the fraudulent acts of USAFIS to the Office of the New York Attorney General. Hopefully, one or the other will manage to shut this phony organization down.”
http://www.mygreencard.com/review.php
One website warning of green card scams advises:
• AVOID any lottery web site that uses the word “official” or implies to be associated with a U.S. government agency. NO lottery service has a government affiliation. Avoid any service that uses “Kentucky Consular enter” in their headings.
I noticed on the link from the original post you say: “This is the Official Usafis website that handles all our clients Green Card Registrations worldwide. Do not be fooled by other websites claiming to be Usafis.” Exactly how many other websites have claimed to be Usafis? (please provide website example – even if the site is no longer in existence)
• AVOID lottery services that fail to list their fees until you register.
I could find nowhere online that lists your fees prior to filling out a registration form. Do you list your fees online on your public website?
• AVOID lottery services do not provide an “about us” page with contact information (e-mail address and telephone number) to reach them if questions arise about your application.
Is this information available on your website?
• AVOID lottery services that force you to register before they provide their contact information.
Is contact information (i.e. email/telephone number) available on your website?
• AVOID paying lottery services in advance for more than two years, since your personal information and the lottery rules can change from year to year rendering the information you supplied obsolete.
Do you register individuals for more than two years?
And finally, Last year (2007) how many applicants did your company service who were approved for the lottery?
Clarifying these points could go a long way in clearing the air for your company and show that you are open and responsive to inquiries about your company and services. At the same time, avoiding to respond to inquiries will put into serious question the ethics and reputable nature of your business in my opinion.
I anticipate many of us will be looking forward to your response.
Joe
Vote:
0 0 Hi Ida,
Thought you might like to read what the Federal Trade Commission has to say about agencies like yours that charge a fee to “help” people enter the lottery:
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/alerts/alt003.shtm
As you can see, no fee is required and potential entrants are guided through the process quite easily at the official site of the diversity lottery.
Potential entrants are wisely being warned away from agencies such as yours. Indeed, these types of agencies are designated as “scams” by the FTC on that website. Maybe you should address this issue with them.
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0 0 Ah, Ida. Daunting, isn’t it? Not to worry. I have no doubt that with your company’s expertise in helping trusting people wade through the mounds of legalese and government paperwork every day, you’ll be able to respond to our few, albeit sincere, concerns in no time flat.
Looking forward to your reply…
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0 0 Nemesis, LOL……
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0 0 Great articles! Look what interesting article i have found about Business Website
****link moderated due to posting advertisment which had nothing to do with any of the topics on this board****
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0 0 Ida Wilcox,
I read so many comments on how other people have been scammed through USAFIS.ORG and me being one of them, I don’t suppose you can defend yourself any longer. Not that you have been doing so anyway.
This is how it works, you sign up and pay for the required amount for the amount of years you want to be included in the lottery programme, I paid $81, and a week later I received a phone call from someone called ‘Jane’ trying to talk me into spending over 400 euros to take part in another lottery programme for 10 yrs which supposedly increases my chances to win! When I declined she offered a discount. I tried to contact USAFIS on the number given but it didnn’t work! I have already filed a compalint with the FBI and FTC. Oh by the way, the so called info provided by USAFIS shown below was not there when I signed up for it.
3. USAFIS also indicates the option of using the U.S. Department of State’s website which is free of charge (http://www.usafis.org).
They must be watching complaints and updating the website as they read about it, in an attemp to clarify things.
Also I’d like to draw your attention to Sarah75’s findings on http://www.pronetworks.org/forum/about53188-0-asc-10.html
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0 0 Kayla,
I’m sorry you lost $81 and happy that you didn’t lose any more. Good for you for reporting the scam to the appropriate authorities. Glad to see people sticking up for themselves and trying to protect others from such scams……
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0 0 Interesting how they never came back on to defend themselves and/or their site.
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0 0 Babs,
I’m very sorry I lost my money too, and wish I had paid more attention before applying to it..
But to my surprise, I found one of the supposedly winners on facebook and asked him about it. Like I said very surprisingly he said he won through USAFIS, however, when I mentioned that the actual lottery application dates are between October and December, and that my application was outside of those dates, he didn’t reply back.. Very Strange..
CR67 - I definitely agree with you, its very interesting that they didn’t come back to defend the company..
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0 0 I want to know if there is a governmental free US green card ?
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0 0 here is a link that should help you: http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/types/types_1322.html
be wary of any site that charges you money to “help” you through the government process……..
good luck!
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0 0 My brother applied through this organization last year and he hasn’t heard anything back yet. Of course it could be that he didn’t win. Does anyone know when the last letters for the winners are sent out? He paid a fee that will enter his application for 2 years but after those reviews I am not sure what we can do. I tried to send an email to ask for proof of entry and I haven’t heard back. He wants to apply again in case he doesn’t win this year through the free regular goverment site but what happens if USAFIS re-sends his application as well as they said they will for 2 years? If that happens he will be disqualified if he enters twice. Could anyone respond please? I am not sure what should we do? We would like to cancel the second year with USAFIS but I am not sure how? I can’t even think about getting my money back, I just want to make sure they enter the application. I apreciate any response. Thank you
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0 0 try checking here, andrea:
http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/types/types_1322.html
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0 0 Thank you so much for the site. But if we try to apply again through the legitimate site and USAFIS applies as well like they say the next year, won’t this cancel his entry because it will be consider he entered twice? Does anyone feels certain they never really send an application? At this point I wish this is a real scam so we can feel comfortable applying again. This is worse than taking your money because you never know for sure what are they doing. Please help if anyone has more info. Thank you again.
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0 0 can you just check to see if his name is on the list yet? that link, I believe, provides phone numbers so you can see if his name is indeed officially on the lottery list without actually “entering” it….
hope that helps….
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0 0 welcome
there’s nothing to be Done Sir
you ask usafis support for this
I’m in danger and between danger
and criminal Arab
I’m tunisian 38 years old
I have no problem with american
about green card
you understant urgent problem
thanks
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0 0 I found Usafis couple days ago when I entered the embassy of USA in Madrid’s website. I filled some paperwork online until they asked me for some sort of money. I stopped and closed the window. However, because i gave my information ( phone number and email address) They constantly contacted me almost everyday. I did not read anything about Usafis and thought it was real. Today i payed 130 euros for supposedly 4 years, and as far as i see, this company “works” VERY HARD to contact you but is never reachable after the payment. I would like to know how to bring this problem to someone who could AT LEAST stop this company from stealing from other people. Right after i payed, I saw all these comments and canceled my credit card right away, in case they use it in the future. I am extremely regret of my actions, and i wish this company is punished from what they have done. is there anything I could do? I am a student a soon college student so I have no much clue about all this.
Thank you!
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0 0 i want job in usa with free tick and visa pleasa help me
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0 0 I have the same problem as Andrea’s brother… Last year I applied for 4 years (with an extra year for ‘free’) for about 80 euros, and obviously I didn’t receive any winning notification this year. I would like to regularly apply through the US dept. of State but I don’t want to be disqualified for double entry… in this case, I would have to wait for 4 other years!?! 
I wonder how I could be such a fool.
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0 0 Please, I am in Ghana and I do not have VISA CARD or any CREDIT CARD to pay for theregistration, direct me how I ca pay the from g
Ghana. And what is the deadline for the 2008 lottery.
Solomon, from Ghana.
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0 0 send cash to( if today )and they will help as much as usafis would.
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0 0 I’ve come to conclude that this company is technically legit, but realistically as close you can come to being a pyramid scheme without the pyramid.
They are agressive in their sales, as those who were unfortunate enough to actually submit info to them knows - and you also know that they are misleading in their advertising.
If you ask for refunds, they’ll stonewall you and if you press on, they’ll offer more of their nearly-worthless crap.
Avoid them or lob a complaint off to the FTC.
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0 0 Actually, it is not “legit”: google it and read about everyone who has been ripped off…
Moreover, any agency that asks for money to provide a FREE service, is, by definition, a scam.
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0 0 I agree with Easterner on this one. The site looks very official and if I were a foreigner without enough money to afford an attorney to help me do my papers I might fall for this trap.
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0 0 “Actually, it is not “legit”: google it and read about everyone who has been ripped off…”
I said _technically_, as they do say in their FAQ that they are not affiliated with the US govt.
“Moreover, any agency that asks for money to provide a FREE service, is, by definition, a scam.”
No a scam means a fraud. If their services added significant value to an already free product, they wouldn’t be a scam.
Do try to read why I have written, please. I do not support this company, if it was not abundantly clear in my earlier post.
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0 0 I did read what you wrote; guess we disagree on the definition of “legit”: read what the us gov’t has to say about USAFIS at the immigration and naturalization site, posted above……..
Have a great night!
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0 0 want settle and pay $50 to usafis
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0 0 I’m an American who lives abroad and these darn ads keep popping up on an all too frequent basis…. personally, I don’t think that we should be giving away Green Cards in some kind of free lottery. But hey, it is what it is. The fact that someone would try to build a “service” around it, that’s something I find pretty… well, you can probably fill the rest.
Great posts by some folks.
Vote:
0 0 I administer a green card lottery service review page on my website at http://www.mygreencard.com. We have received so many complaints about USAFIS, that I started posting letters from their customers. They charge hundreds of dollars to those willing to pay anything for a chance to enter the USA via the lottery. Unfortunately, this particular service (and their clone sites), have amassed an amazing worldwide marketing engine tthat continues to lure hapless victims each year. For more info, please feel free to visit our site. BTW, we are NOT a lottery service provider.
Vote:
0 0 Joe Bob!!
When will your “Drive-In” be back?
Loved your book “Evidence of Love”.
Are you really Joe Bob???
Vote:
0 0 why sent my answer for my questions
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0 0 I just fell for this the other day, wish I had read this first now. I was unaware at the time that you could enter yourself for free. Is anyone actually happy with this service or should I be cancelling my credit card?
Vote:
0 0 Taita,
Cancel immediately if you still can; if not, contact your credit card company and let them know you were defrauded by this company.
This is the legitimate site: http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/types/types_1322.html
You do NOT need to apply through any private company like USAFIS. . . they only take your money for doing what you can do for free.
Good luck. Let me know how you make out.
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Vote:
Joe, I have heard about the “lottery” program , and, believe it or not, the lottery does exist, as a government program through the State Department, to provide green cards to a number of people wishing to enter the US (although they must still meet certain requirements). See the link here: http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/types/types_1322.html
However, as you pointed out, the USAFIS program certainly appears to be a way to take money from people to “assist” them in entering the lottery, when no such assistance is truly needed. Nor does using the above system guarantee anything: the lottery system remains a lottery, no matter how much you pay for help filling in the paperwork.
Lots of chatter out there from people who believe the USAFIS (NOT a government agency; just trying very hard to sound like one!) is a big fat scam.