Visa Lottery Fee Scams on YouTube
YouTube channels targeting potential visa lottery participants collect application fees or processing charges for programmes that are either entirely free to enter or do not exist, exploiting viewers unfamiliar with official processes.
Part of: Visa Lottery Fee Scams (DV Lottery)
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
The US Diversity Visa Lottery and similar programmes in other countries attract enormous interest from prospective migrants. YouTube channels providing guidance on these programmes reach massive audiences, and fraudulent channels exploit this by presenting themselves as application services that charge fees for processes that are officially free.
Some channels promote entirely non-existent visa lottery programmes, capitalising on aspirational audiences that may not have the resources to verify official information in another language.
How this scam works on YouTube
A YouTube channel posts detailed videos about a visa lottery or immigration programme, building an audience of potential applicants. The channel's description or pinned comment links to a paid application service. Viewers pay a fee believing they are submitting their official application through an authorised agent, when in fact no application is filed or the service is simply collecting the officially free submission on their behalf at a marked-up price.
Some operators promote entirely fake lottery programmes — using professional graphics and official-sounding names — and collect fees from applicants who believe they are entering a real government programme.
Common red flags
- YouTube channel about a visa lottery that links to a paid application service
- Application service charges a fee for a programme whose official entry is free
- Channel promotes a lottery programme that cannot be verified on official government websites
- Fee levels vary by applicant country in a way that suggests arbitrary pricing rather than official costs
- Channel provides no verifiable legal credentials for the application service it promotes
- Application confirmation provided by the service does not match official government confirmation formats
How to protect yourself
- Verify all visa lottery programmes on official government websites — look for .gov or equivalent official domain extensions
- Never pay fees to enter programmes that official sources confirm are free to apply for
- Use only official government portals or licensed attorneys for visa lottery applications
- Search the YouTube channel and any linked service for independent reviews and complaints
- Report YouTube channels that promote paid application services for officially free programmes
How to report it
- Report the YouTube video using the 'Report' function — select 'Scams or fraud'
- File a complaint with the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov describing the fraudulent application service
- Report to the US State Department's fraud hotline if the scam involves the US Diversity Visa programme
Frequently asked questions
How do I confirm the official government website for a specific country's visa lottery?
Search only for official government domains rather than clicking any link in a video description, and cross-check the URL against a reputable, independent source like your country's embassy website before entering any personal information.
The channel says the fee covers 'professional photo formatting' and 'application review' — is that ever legitimate?
Photo formatting and review can be a legitimate paid add-on in some contexts, but the core lottery entry itself is free through the official portal — make sure you understand exactly which part of the service you're paying for and confirm you could complete the entry yourself for free.
I already paid a service that claimed to submit my entry — how do I confirm whether it was actually submitted?
Check directly on the official government confirmation system using the confirmation number the service gave you — if it doesn't match the official format or can't be found, the entry likely wasn't submitted.
Is the US Diversity Visa Lottery free to enter?
Yes — the DV Lottery is free to enter through the official US government portal at dvprogram.state.gov. Any service charging a fee to submit your application or guarantee your selection is not an official government programme.