$12.5B
FTC-reported fraud losses in 2024
FTC says consumers reported losing $12.5 billion to fraud in 2024.
visa lottery scam targeting immigrants
Scammers send emails or create websites claiming victims have won the Diversity Visa Lottery and must pay processing fees, when the real DV Lottery is free and does not notify winners by email.
“visa scam”
↑ 243%Key indicators
Usually targetsImmigrants
Often hitsFreelancers and contractors
Common regionUnited States
Last updated2026-04-04
Estimated impact
$960
median reported loss
Typical range$60 – $6.0K
Recovery rate~15%
Scam breakdown
1
Scammers send mass emails claiming recipients have won the US Diversity Visa Lottery, using official-looking letterheads and fake case numbers.
2
Victims are told to pay processing fees, attorney fees, or travel arrangement costs, often thousands of dollars, via wire transfer or money order.
3
The US Department of State does not charge fees to apply for the DV Lottery and never notifies winners by email — all legitimate results are checked only at dvprogram.state.gov.
What to do first
The official DV Lottery is free to enter and results are only available at dvprogram.state.gov — never pay for lottery processing.
Related terms
DV Lottery scamgreen card lottery fraudfake visa lottery notificationImmigrant-targeted scamsEmailRisingImmigrantsNon-citizensFreelancers and contractorsSmall business ownersPayroll, HR, and finance teamsUnited StatesNigeriaIndiaDV Lottery scamgreen card lottery fraud
Real-world example
How this scam plays out in practice
Based on reported patterns. Names and details are illustrative.
The setup
Nicole, 36, a immigrants, encountered what appeared to be a legitimate immigrant-targeted scams situation while using Email. Scammers send mass emails claiming recipients have won the US Diversity Visa Lottery, using official-looking letterheads and fake case numbers.
Step 2
What happened next was calculated: Victims are told to pay processing fees, attorney fees, or travel arrangement costs, often thousands of dollars, via wire transfer or money order.
Step 3
The pressure escalated quickly: The US Department of State does not charge fees to apply for the DV Lottery and never notifies winners by email — all legitimate results are checked only at dvprogram.state.gov.
The outcome
Nicole realized something was wrong when email claims you won the diversity visa lottery but you never applied through the official dvprogram.state.gov website. By that point, significant damage had already been done — money sent, personal information shared, or trust exploited.
The lesson
The official DV Lottery is free to enter and results are only available at dvprogram.state.gov — never pay for lottery processing. Nicole's experience shows why email claims you won the diversity visa lottery but you never applied through the official dvprogram.state.gov website and payment is requested for processing, visa fees, or legal representation before any visa is issued are the clearest early warning signs.
How to identify it
- Email claims you won the Diversity Visa Lottery but you never applied through the official dvprogram.state.gov website
- Payment is requested for processing, visa fees, or legal representation before any visa is issued
- Notification comes from a Gmail, Yahoo, or non-.gov email address
- Pause before paying, clicking, or sharing information. Scammers rely on speed.
- Verify the sender, company, or agency using a phone number or website you already know is legitimate.
- Treat secrecy, urgency, and off-platform payment requests as strong scam signals.
What to do now
- ✓The official DV Lottery is free to enter and results are only available at dvprogram.state.gov — never pay for lottery processing.
- ✓Delete any email claiming you won the visa lottery, especially if you did not apply.
- ✓Report visa lottery scams to the FTC and the US Department of State.
What to save before reporting
- ✓Save the message, profile, phone number, email, or URL that was used.
- ✓Keep payment confirmations, receipts, and account alerts before you dispute or delete anything.
- ✓Write down the timeline while the details are still fresh.
- ✓Keep the full sender address, domain, attachments, and—if possible—the raw email headers.
How big is this problem
You are not alone — this scam affects millions of people.
These numbers come from government agencies and official reports. If you have been affected, know that this is a widespread problem — not something that only happens to careless people.
FTC 2024 fraud losses
Imposters
Most common FTC fraud category in 2024
FTC says imposter scams remained the most commonly reported fraud category in 2024.
History and evolution
- This scam family tends to persist because the social-engineering pressure works even when the exact scripts, platforms, and payment methods change.
- The specific packaging evolves over time, but the core pattern usually stays the same: create urgency, control the channel, and push action before verification.
- The US Department of State issues annual warnings about DV Lottery scams, noting that thousands of people worldwide are defrauded each year by fake lottery notifications.
Recovery and follow-up
- ✓Save the messages, receipts, account alerts, and transaction details before you block or delete anything.
- ✓Report the scam through the official platform or government channel that best matches where it happened.
- ✓The official DV Lottery is free to enter and results are only available at dvprogram.state.gov — never pay for lottery processing.
- ✓Delete any email claiming you won the visa lottery, especially if you did not apply.
- ✓Report visa lottery scams to the FTC and the US Department of State.
Why this pattern keeps working
Even when the story changes, most scams still use the same pressure pattern: urgency, authority, and a request to move money or data fast.
The US Department of State issues annual warnings about DV Lottery scams, noting that thousands of people worldwide are defrauded each year by fake lottery notifications.
US Department of State Travel Advisory 2024
Where to report it
If you have been targeted by this scam, reporting it helps authorities track the pattern and protect others. United States has dedicated agencies that handle fraud reports.
ReportFraud.gov
Federal Trade Commission
Central U.S. consumer fraud reporting portal.
File an IC3 complaint
FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center
FBI portal for internet-enabled crime reports.
Start identity theft recovery
IdentityTheft.gov
Official U.S. identity theft recovery plan builder.
Explore further
Understand the bigger picture
Who is most at risk
Who this scam targets
Primary targets
Immigrants, Non-citizens
Geographic concentration
United States, Nigeria, India, Bangladesh, Ethiopia
Primary channel
Email — Immigrant-targeted scams
Why this group is vulnerable
Immigrants are particularly vulnerable because this scam exploits trust in familiar brands, authority figures, and time-sensitive decisions. The growing number of reports suggests that awareness among this demographic remains low.
Sources and methodology
How we verify this information
OpenScam tracks scam patterns using a combination of government consumer protection databases (FTC, IC3, Action Fraud), platform-specific fraud reports, and verified consumer complaint data. Each entry is cross-referenced against at least two independent sources before publication.
Severity ratings are based on financial impact potential, reversibility of damage, and volume of reports across multiple reporting channels. Trend velocity reflects the rate of change in report volume over the most recent 90-day window.
This page was last verified on 2026-04-04. Red flags, recovery steps, and reporting resources are reviewed quarterly against current agency guidance.
Evidence and indicators
- The US Department of State issues annual warnings about DV Lottery scams, noting that thousands of people worldwide are defrauded each year by fake lottery notifications.
Source notes
- US Department of State Travel Advisory 2024
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about visa lottery scam targeting immigrants
How does the visa lottery scam targeting immigrants work?+
Scammers send mass emails claiming recipients have won the US Diversity Visa Lottery, using official-looking letterheads and fake case numbers. Victims are told to pay processing fees, attorney fees, or travel arrangement costs, often thousands of dollars, via wire transfer or money order. The US Department of State does not charge fees to apply for the DV Lottery and never notifies winners by email — all legitimate results are checked only at dvprogram.state.gov.
What are the warning signs of visa lottery scam targeting immigrants?+
Email claims you won the Diversity Visa Lottery but you never applied through the official dvprogram.state.gov website Payment is requested for processing, visa fees, or legal representation before any visa is issued Notification comes from a Gmail, Yahoo, or non-.gov email address
What should I do if I encounter visa lottery scam targeting immigrants?+
The official DV Lottery is free to enter and results are only available at dvprogram.state.gov — never pay for lottery processing. Delete any email claiming you won the visa lottery, especially if you did not apply. Report visa lottery scams to the FTC and the US Department of State.
Who is most at risk for visa lottery scam targeting immigrants?+
This scam primarily targets Immigrants, Non-citizens. It is most commonly reported in United States, Nigeria, India, Bangladesh, Ethiopia and typically appears on Email.
Is visa lottery scam targeting immigrants on the rise?+
visa lottery scam targeting immigrants is currently on the rise with growing reports. It has been reported across US, NG, IN, BD, ET. Last updated 2026-04-04.
Recent reports
Related scams
Similar scams to watch out for
Employment fraud
↑ 80%Fake job offer advance payment scam
A victim receives what looks like a legitimate remote job offer and is asked to pay upfront for equipment, training, or background checks.
What to do first
Verify the recruiter and company domain independently.
Targets
Job seekers
Seen in
Global
Employment fraud
↑ 100%Reshipping assistant work-from-home scam
A new hire is told to receive packages at home and forward them using labels provided by the employer.
What to do first
Do not handle goods or forward packages for an employer you cannot verify.
Targets
Job seekers
Seen in
Global
Employment fraud
↑ 80%Interview task equipment cheque scam
A fake employer sends a cheque for equipment during the interview stage and asks the candidate to forward part of the money to a vendor.
What to do first
Do not deposit employer cheques tied to urgent vendor payments.
Targets
Students
Seen in
U.S.
Help someone avoid this scam.
Scammers succeed because people do not talk about it. If you or someone you know has been affected, there is no shame in it — it happens to millions of people every year. Share this page with friends and family so they know what to look for.
Relevant collections