Fact-check: This America Visa Lottery 2023/24 Application website is a hoax

The website is not legitimate since it’s not the official U.S. Department of State link. 

Writer: Makur Majeng

A WhatsApp message claims that the American government plans to issue over 55,000 visas plus permanent resident cards, and applications are currently open for students, workers, and families with no age limit. 

It provides a link to apply.

Claim Verification:

When analysing the provided link and the information on the website, 211 Check discovered that the claim is a hoax.

A Google keyword search using “America Visa Lottery application form 2023/2024” yielded no credible results or official announcements related to such a lottery.

The 211 Check verification process involved examining the website mentioned in the WhatsApp message. 

According to the investigation conducted by 211 Check, the website claims to offer benefits like no application fee, instant work permits, free accommodation, monthly allowances, and work and study permits. 

However, these promises are often indicators of fraudulent schemes.

The website requires individuals to enter personal information such as their name, country, gender, and password. This is a potential red flag, as scammers often exploit personal information for identity theft or other malicious purposes.

Furthermore, after providing personal details, the website requests that users validate their names and proceed to the next step. It then prompts them to choose a visa type. 

However, the website does not provide concrete information about the visa process, eligibility requirements, or official U.S. Department of State website links.

The website asks participants to share the promotion with multiple groups or friends on WhatsApp, signalling a typical tactic employed by scams to broaden their reach.

The URL provided in the WhatsApp message is flagged as phishing, malicious, and malware by VirusTotal, an online tool that assesses suspicious websites.

The US Green Card Lottery:

The Diversity Immigrant Visa Program (DV Program) makes immigrant visas available to citizens of countries with low immigration rates.

The United States Department Web site says, “The 2025 Diversity Visa Program (DV-2025) is now open. The entry submission period for DV-2025 is from noon EDT (GMT -4) on October 4, 2023, to noon EST (GMT -5) on November 7, 2023. The entry form will only be available for submission during this period.”

Here is the official website for the Electronic Diversity Visa Program.

Whois Domain Information:

The imposter website domain was registered on 29 August 2023, meaning it is less than a year old.

Conclusion:

The claim of the America Visa Lottery 2023/2024 application form being open, as shared through a WhatsApp message, is a hoax. 

The provided website exhibits several red flags, including promises of instant benefits, soliciting personal information, and a need for official credentials or links. The URL itself is flagged as potentially malicious and phishing. 

A publication under 211 Check’s ‘Fact-check for a pay’ Initiative with Support from the International Fact-checking Network through the BUILD grant.

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