Diversity Visa Lottery fraud

The Consular Section of the US Embassy in Colombo would like to address recent concerns over e-mails that claim to be sent on behalf of the US Department of State or its Bureau of Consular Affairs. We are aware that several entities claiming to be the Department of State or facilitators for the Diversity Visa Lottery or Green Cards send malicious and fraudulent e-mails to Sri Lankan citizens. For your protection, please note the following.

1. Diversity Visa Lottery notifications are NOT sent via e-mail. E-mails stating that you have won the Diversity Visa Lottery or a Green Card are NOT legitimate. Diversity Visa Lottery entrants may check the status of their online application by visiting www.dvlotterv.state.gov for the DV 2012 season beginning on May 1,2011.

2. Only Internet sites ending in "gov" are official US Government websites. If you receive an e-mail from an address that ends with "com", "net", or "org", it is NOT an official e-mail from the US Embassy.

If you receive any e-mails that mention the Diversity Visa Lottery or indicate that you have won a Green Card, you should consider these e-mails illegitimate and fraudulent. Do NOT respond to the e-mail sender or agree to transfer any money.

If you wish to file a complaint about Internet fraud, please see the consumer. Gov website, hosted by the Federal Trade Commission at http://www.econsumer.gov/english.