American Visa Lottery Scam Alert: KCC Application (2015657D8SVC5588)

I am sharing this piece to educate the public about raging Visa Lottery scams. I received the following email informing that I have been selected for the America visa lottery I did not apply for. If you received similar, please handle with caution, most especially if you have applied for the lottery. 

Here are some hints to determine if the email is genuine:

• Check the sender email address. In my case, it was “KCC Visa <lillian@walink.com.tw>”. As you can see the address and extension of the mail. Can Lillian be KCC? Can KCC use walink.com.tw. Taiwanese website to say.
• Check the “Reply to” section of the email header. In my case, If I had replied to the email, it will go to “KCC Visa <support@ceac-visa.com>”. Can that be original KCC website? Hell NO!
• To help you validate the email further, here is the Kentucky Consular Center (KCC) contact information : http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/english/contact.html
• As you can see, the last website link provided belongs to the US government as indicated in the extension .state.gov.
• It may also be good to read the Fraud Warning concerning Visa Lottery at http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/english/general/fraud.html

Read the email received below and educate your people about typical email correspondence. Please note that I have posted the email as it is except that I removed instances of my name and email address. 

SCAM EMAIL BELOW THIS LINE

Kentucky Consular Center (KCC) sent this message to XYZ ABC (xyzabc@yahoo.com)
Your registered name is included to show this message originated from Kentucky Consular Center (KCC)

Dear XYZ ABC,

Congratulations! You are one of the 50,000 winners selected by the computer random draw from the 12.1 million entries registered in the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program.The Diversity Immigrant Visa program is a United States congressional-mandated lottery program for receiving a United States Permanent Resident Card.It is also known as the Green Card Lottery. You can live permanently in the United States as an American resident, enter and leave the country as you wish. You can work, study, or invest. You can gain health, education, social security and other benefits. Getting a Green Card does not affect your present citizenship.

Winner Details:
————————————————————————–
Confirmation Number: 2015657D8SVC5588
Winner Name: XYZ ABC
Married: YES
—————————————————————————

Please click the link below, follow the instruction and start the integration process in the United States as soon as possible.

http://state-sv1c780.kcc-state.gov/internal/status/a5b79c1/?CN=2015657D8SVC5588

CONFIDENTIALITY STATEMENT: AUTHORITIES: The information asked for on this form is requested pursuant to Section 222 of the Immigration and Nationality Act. Section 222(f) provides that the records of the Department of State and of diplomatic and consular offices of the United States pertaining to the issuance and refusal of visas or permits to enter the United States shall be considered and shall be used only for the formulation, amendment, administration, or enforcement of the immigration, nationality, and other laws of the United States. Certified copies of such records may be made available to a court provided the court certifies that the information contained in such records is needed in a case pending before the court. PURPOSE: The U.S. Department of State uses the facts you provide on this form primarily to determine your classification and eligibility for a U.S. immigrant visa. Individuals who fail to submit this form or who do not provide all the requested information may be denied a U.S. immigrant visa. Although furnishing this information is voluntary, failure to provide this information may delay or prevent the processing of your case. ROUTINE USES: If you are issued an immigrant visa and are subsequently admitted to the United States as an immigrant, the Department of Homeland Security will use the information on this form to issue you a Permanent Resident Card, and, if you so indicate, the Social Security Administration will use the information to issue a social security number. The information provided may also be released to federal agencies for law enforcement, counter terrorism and homeland security purposes; to Congress and courts within their sphere of jurisdiction; and to other federal agencies who may need the information to administer or enforce U.S. laws.