A message announcing that you have won a US green card can create enormous pressure to act. It may include your name, a government-looking seal and an urgent payment deadline. Before responding, separate three questions: did you enter the programme, were you selected for further processing, and has a visa actually been issued?
Those are different stages. Treat a surprise message as a claim to verify, not as an immigration decision.
Check through the official channel
The US Department of State says Diversity Visa selection is communicated through Entrant Status Check on the official E-DV website. It does not send selection notifications by email or post. Its fraud guidance distinguishes a possible reminder to check your status from a message declaring that you have won.
Open the official programme website independently, rather than following the message's button. Use the entry details required by the status-check service. Keep the original confirmation information somewhere you can access without relying on the person who helped submit the entry.
Do not confuse selection with a visa
The Department of State explains that selection does not guarantee visa issuance. Further processing and eligibility requirements still apply. A seller describing selection as an unconditional green card is leaving out a decisive distinction.
Read the instructions associated with your own official result. Do not substitute a friend's experience, an old screenshot or a consultant's timetable for those instructions. Programme dates and payment arrangements should be checked in the current official guidance for the relevant year and stage.
Examine any demand for money
Ask what the payment is supposedly for and where that requirement appears in the official instructions. A demand to release a prize, unlock a selection result or preserve a guaranteed visa should prompt an independent check before any transfer.
An invoice carrying an embassy name is still only a document supplied by the sender. Use the embassy or consulate contact route listed on the US government's own website if you need to verify a purported official instruction.
If you have already responded
Save the message, sender details, linked address and payment record. Contact your bank or payment provider promptly if money was sent, and explain that the transaction may involve impersonation.
If you shared account credentials, secure the affected account through its genuine service. If an agent holds your entry details, consult the official status-check help options. Do not pay a second person who promises to recover a winning place: first establish the real status of your entry.
Official sources
- US Department of State: Diversity Visa fraud warning
- US Department of State: If selected
- US Department of State: Entrant Status Check
Sources reviewed on 23 Oct 2026. Requirements can change and depend on your nationality and circumstances. This article is general information, not a personal eligibility assessment.
