US warns of visa lottery scams via e-mail

The United States embassy in Manila warned Friday against an e-mail scam that has been fraudulently offering US immigrant visas in exchange for large sums of money. The modus operandi under a UniAir Visa Lottery Program has been targeting unsuspecting people by sending them emails congratulating them for winning in a lottery entitling them to a US visa. “If you receive an e-mail, phone call, or letter saying you have won any type of U.S. visa, the U.S. Embassy urges you to be cautious. Do not pay any money to individuals or companies claiming they can help you get a visa," the US embassy advisory said. “This most recent scam tells unsuspecting people that they have won an immigrant visa in a U.S. Embassy lottery program," it added. “The UniAir Visa Lottery Program scam describes how the lucky winner was chosen through an Internet program that randomly extracts and screens millions of e-mail addresses around the world," the statement said. “However, no such visa program exists," the embassy declared. The e-mail is made to look official with false visa numbers, rules of the program, and official markings. The objective of the scam is to obtain money from people who believe they are indeed winners of the visa. “Winners" are requested to submit a “processing" fee of $1,082, in addition to copies of personal documents. The e-mail has been titled “Congratulations from the U.S. Embassy" but may be titled in other ways as well, the advisory said. This supposed lottery program is not a legitimate visa program of the U.S. Government, and the Embassy is concerned that some innocent citizens may fall prey to criminals who try to make money by falsely claiming to be associated with the U.S. Embassy. This is one of many similar scams perpetrated by criminals in myriad fraud schemes that resurface every year, it further said. “The U.S. Government urges you to protect yourself from all types of visa fraud. Do not trust someone who offers or guarantees – for a fee – an immigrant visa or any other type of U.S. benefit," the embassy said. It advised the public to always use the U.S. State Department’s official Web sites at http://philippines.usembassy.gov/, www.travel.state.gov, and www.unitedstatesvisas.gov for information on immigrant and non-immigrant benefits. - GMANews.TV