Visa Fraud Alert

Fraudulent Web Sites

The U.S. Embassy advises the public that only internet sites including the ".gov" suffix are official U.S Government web sites. Other sites may attempt to mislead the user into thinking they are official U.S. Government sites, often then requiring the user to pay for services such as forms and information about visa and immigration procedures, or to pay for services that you will not receive.  These web sites also sometimes send unsolicited email to lure users tothe site.  You should be wary of any unofficial web site that asks you to send personal information that could be used in identity fraud or theft.

The Department of State and all U.S. Embassies and Consulates around the world provide these forms and this information free of charge.  You can find links to the web sites of all U.S. Embassies and Consulates around the world at the Department of State web site, here.

There are non-governmental web sites (those that include the suffixes ".com," ".org" or ".net") that provide legitimate and useful immigration and visa-related information and services. The U.S. Embassy and the Department of State do not endorse, recommend, or sponsor any information or material shown at these web sites.

How Do I Report Internet Fraud or Unsolicited Email?

If you wish to file a complaint about internet fraud, you may do so at the web site econsumer.gov, hosted by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission.  Reports submitted there are distributed to government enforcement agencies in 17 countries.  You may also report internet fraud to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center.