Some year ago, I had entered for the US Green Cart lottery program.
Today, after several years, I've been contacted by a very kind person asking me if I was still interested in the program.
To make a long story short, the person asked for some personal information and then informed me that she needed my Credit Card information to bill me $968 (€864) to partecipate the program.
Believing that USAFIS.ORG was part of the USA Government (since I enroleld on the governament website in the past, but not anywhere else), I gave my information and was billed as told.
Minutes later, I was called by my bank warning me of the mistake I made trusting these people.
I immediately wrote them asking to be contacted again, and the kind girl called me immediately. But as soon as I told her that I was mislead in believing that USAFIS was related to US Government and that I did not want to partecipate in their program, she quitted being so helping and told me that she was not authorized to refund. ... and that I would have to wait for someone to contact me.
I wrote them several times, but only automatic replies so far and I have not seen my money back.
I feel stupid for being scammed this way, but at least I hope to warn others. USAFIS is a PRIVATE firm offering SERVICES, and pricey ones I must say to fill a free form. Don't let them make you believe they are your only chance to get a Green Card: it is not true.
Hi there,
I am an investigative journalism student at Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism and I am writing my master’s project on the issue of online diversity visa (green card) lottery scams.
To give a human voice to my piece, I would need to speak to victims so I wonder if I could speak to you about your experience. I would like to raise awareness about this issue and your story sounds fascinating.
Please let me know if we could have a chat.
Thanks,
Zsolt Bobis
zb2200@columbia.edu
They did a calculation for me and I had to pay about 2500 dollars in advance without having any guarantees of winning the card... and I gave up... I had to fill out an application for a visa after I was chosen as one of the winners and we were about 89 out of 500 winners... But when I saw the amount of money, I gave up... I bring something and I don't take, so it was good to support people, not to make money with them, so I thought it was not serious.