Alert! Ignore False DV Lottery eMails
Posted Sep 17, 2004
©MurthyDotCom
Members of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) have reported that individuals are receiving eMails presented as coming from the address: <www.dvlottery.state.gov>. This is a spoofed eMail ID, which reads as a URL and not an eMail address at all. The message announces to recipients that they have won the DV2004 visa lottery and requests that the "winners" send $349.67 in "clearance / acceptance fees." These eMails are not legitimate and appear to be part of a scam attempting to cheat the vulnerable and unwary out of their money.
©MurthyDotCom
Regular readers of MurthyDotCom and the MurthyBulletin know that DV2004 winners must have their cases approved prior to September 30, 2004, and that the DV2004 winners have already been notified. Unfortunately, the volume of eMail viruses and scams is ever-increasing. It is critical to verify eMails that appear suspicious in any way, especially those pertaining to immigration. In this example, an eMail ID that reads like a URL is one indicator that the recipient should be cautious. If you are not sure whether the information contained in an eMail is genuine, verify it with a trusted source before sending money to someone who may be a scam artist.