I got scammed “€750 + registration fee” by USAGC within this month. Your forum helped me a lot, thus I wanted to share my experience to aid you. I am grateful for your sharing in the forum.
Good news from my side (two weeks later), I got my all money back (“€750 + registration fee”) and they removed my personal data (I cannot login to their website), too. I only lost €30, due to change in exhange rate that is not a big deal.
Firstly, I blocked my credit card account to save the rest of the my money in account, and informed the bank about the issue. Secondly, I waited for a while to collect clues, then I wrote my complaints to IC3 (do not forget to update your complaint this part is crucial, and inform USAGC support team about the updates), FTC, etc. Thirdly, I informed USAGC support team with related to my complaints and wanted my money back and the removal of my personal info.
Here are the details of my scam experience:
I saw a banner ad about applying for a green card and filled in some personal details. It was written that today’s registration had discount (34%) for a year lottery registration via using the website of USAGC (https:/ /www.usagc.org/). Then, I told the discount to my friend, when he tried to login to the website for a year registration via using PC, they offered 13% discount. Later on, he tried to do the same via using mobile phone, they offered 27% discount. He did not trust the company and pay for anything. The differently given prices made me confused, but I still continued to process, because I had already paid for a year registration. I sent my picture to “support@usagc.org”. I didn’t get any reply whether they got the photo and they were controlling the format of the photo or not.
I was called by USAGC in private number. It was a woman who put me through several questions about my education profile and working career stages. Thus, seems it was like a good interview agency. She told me my chance was high in this year, because no more registration was done in my country with regard to previous years (I googled and learned that “The drawing is random. There is no way to increase my chance of winning.” (retreived from “http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0080-diversity-visa-lottery-scams”)). Then, the interview continued with “Kelly Mayer”-the telemarketer- he congratulated me on how I saved my time while I was working and studing at the same time. He told me I had a very good speaking language skill, good career track and everything was good for me (He encouraged me to believe in him).
Some parts of the email from “Kelly Mayer”:
“Following is a summary of everything I explained to you during our conversation, this way you will have everything in writing.
As explained your application was thoroughly reviewed by the immigration experts in the legal department, and was confirmed as a qualified application that meets the most important requirements and standards of the State department, allowing us to officially finalize your Green card application and begin your Consular process preparation.
In order for you to obtain the Green card you will need to prepare many documents and forms, as well as passing a Consular interview in the U.S Consulate in your country, which will take place once we get the notification that you have been selected by the State department.
For this reason it's essential that you now begin your consular process preparation, and exactly for this purpose your going to receive the immigration consular package which was designed by the immigration experts specifically to meet your applications profile, and contains inside all the necessary information and tools to insure you are fully prepared for all the different aspects of the consular process and will be able to obtain the Green card.
As discussed in order to complete this step and send you the immigration consular package there is a one time and single payment from your side in the amount of exactly:750€, which will cover you for the entire legal consular process preparation.”
KELLY MAYER (The IP of the email sender is “70.42.35.148” -
KellyMayer@usagc.com)
Green Card Case Agent
Immigration Department
USAGC ORGANIZATION
+1-866-243-4612
+1-866-243-4610
NY, USA
He told me if I wanted to complete Green card application, I had to complete this step by paying €750. (He also talked about the consular package, too. I was just focused on finalizing the process because I wanted to enter DV-lottery, I did not assume that I was purchasing a package. I did not know there was no fee to enter the DV-Lottery. Later on, I found that “You do not pay until you find out your entry was picked, and you go to the U.S. embassy or consulate in person for your appointment.” (retreived from “http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0080-diversity-visa-lottery-scams”). This meant I was tricked into purchasing only the books and CDs.
The amount was too much for me, I asked three times about the total count. He replied with the same sum (€750). I asked him if there were a family, how the process had to be finalized. He said that they had to pay for each person, the children had to pay less than their parents.
After asking questions, that was illogical, but I gave him my whole credit card information (The process was unsafe). We talked that the winner will be declared on May (I searched on “https://www.dvlottery.state.gov/” that was not possible)
“2016 Entrant Status Check"
DV-2016 Entrants may enter their confirmation information through the link below starting at noon (EDT) on May 5, 2015. The DV-2016 registration period opens on October 1, 2014, and closes on November 3, 2014. DV-2016 Entrants should keep their confirmation number until at least June 30, 2016.”
As I understand, I can only attend to DV-2017, however, the registration period haven’t opened, yet. There was an another dilemma that he told me the results will be declared on May (He meant the next May, 2016).
I googled “USAGC.org” and read about the green card scam. I have been scammed €750, by “USAGC.org”. First of all, I called to my bank and blocked my credit card already asked for a charge-back to my bank ( USAGC might have a history of such complaint with the credit card company.).
I wrote them an email with my stated reasons above that I wanted to cancel my membership, recharge with the full refund and remove my data. Someone contacted me again, asking why I would like to cancel my membership (but again, it was in private number). I tried to explain my reasons, and she told me that she will listen to the voice records (They did not inform me about the record of conversation, I know that was illegal for some states. Unfortunately, I am not living in those states.)
I got a text message notification from DHL Express that I have a package arriving soon. They wanted me to confirm it by sending my SSID in a reply text. I did not do reply to that. The another suspicious thing is that the receiver’s name and surname do not match with mine. The package details are convincing, too (He did not mention about a superpen).
I got a call from DHL express worker, she told me that the package was in the customs area. The total sum of the invoice was $90, even if I got scammed €750 by USAGC for that. She sent me the copy of the invoice. The package was sent from "AURO Group Limited". The sender's address was "Room 517, 5 Floor, Nanguangjiejia Bldg, Shennan Road, Futian, ShenZhen, China". The phone number from China was written as the sender's phone number "0755-33030689". I googled the phone number and found the company "http://www.wellauro.com/array-ezp-8.html". "Janny Liu" was the sender of the package. I'd realized in the beginning of the invoice, there was one more phone number (1-888-283-6165), too. I'd googled the phone number from USA, there were lots of USAGC victims were called from this number, many complaints with regard to this number.
Please do not believe in them. If you are scammed (like me), do not give up until you get all your money back...
Thank you very much for sharing your experiences
I hope my experience can help you.