Just filled out Application Online

[DeeBee 1]

Like Tango and sex, getting scammed requires two: one scammer and one person allowing themselves to be scammed.

It just boggles my mind how many people still send money to Nigeria as a processing fee tto get their multi-million dollar check, or subscribe to an Internet virus protection service for only $5 a month, but for 99 years, or believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God, or believe that this magic pill will increase the size of their schlong by 3 inches in 24 hours. All of this is a sign of ignorance and poor education. Luckily, there's a self-help booklet out, that I can't recommend highly enough. The price is only $9.99 and its title is "Don't be an Ididot." The idiot's guide to self de Nile.

To receive it: just send check or Western Union money order to:

Don't be an Idiot

P.O. Box 666

Podunk Holler, Nebraska 66666

Why so cynical? I won the Nigerian lottery on Sunday, handed over my credit card info, ssn, and copy of my passport and they assured me my check will be here tomorrow.

[kaydee457 13]

Like Tango and sex, getting scammed requires two: one scammer and one person allowing themselves to be scammed.

It just boggles my mind how many people still send money to Nigeria as a processing fee tto get their multi-million dollar check, or subscribe to an Internet virus protection service for only $5 a month, but for 99 years, or believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God, or believe that this magic pill will increase the size of their schlong by 3 inches in 24 hours. All of this is a sign of ignorance and poor education. Luckily, there's a self-help booklet out, that I can't recommend highly enough. The price is only $9.99 and its title is "Don't be an Ididot." The idiot's guide to self de Nile.

To receive it: just send check or Western Union money order to:

Don't be an Idiot

P.O. Box 666

Podunk Holler, Nebraska 66666

This instance hardly rises to the absurd examples in your post. Afterall, they did provide a service.....This is the first time in my life that I've been scammed, ever, to my knowledge. I suppose that there are people that would pay that much to a Lawyer for the same. I'm pissed because I know how to fill out an application, even archaic mundane and absurd ones such as USCIS produces.

I blame this snafu wholly on my distaste of this process and my haste in clicking links from a site I trust, this one (oh, and Barrack Obama for not protecting me).....

I was too quick to want to get on with this #######, and ####### it is.....

Thanks for your input.

Edited May 10, 2011 by kaydee457

[katiemanny 64]

This instance hardly rises to the absurd examples in your post. Afterall, they did provide a service.....This is the first time in my life that I've been scammed, ever, to my knowledge. I suppose that there are people that would pay that much to a Lawyer for the same. I'm pissed because I know how to fill out an application, even archaic mundane and absurd ones such as USCIS produces.

I blame this snafu wholly on my distaste of this process and my haste in clicking links from a site I trust, this one (oh, and Barrack Obama for not protecting me).....

I was too quick to want to get on with this #######, and ####### it is.....

Thanks for your input.

Edited May 10, 2011 by katiemanny

[KemalTuanaYalcin 16]

Haven't posted here for a while. Been really busy selling home/buying a new one in Florida...

Anyway, today I just submitted an application online for my wife's citizenship at what I thought was an official US Gov. site (it may be afterall but I'm suspicious).

The site charged me $169.00 for what *I* thought was the application fee for Citizenship. Apparently it was not the fee as the fee's several hundred dollars.

So what's up with this fee? I used a link provided in the stickies in the beginning of this forum.......

My link

I think I know the answer to my own question as I just took a second look at the site. It's not a U.S. Gov site at all....I think I just paid $169.00 to fill out an application I could've filled out myself, sigh.....

Well??

Ohhhh that stinks. I would definately call and report this as fraudulent based on what type of card you used, but report it now, either way. All fees associated with USCIS etc need to be paid to them not through any web site that I have seen. Plus all the documents on the USCIS provide attached instructions on what you need to pay, how to pay etc. etc. I would get my information from there primarily.

[NickD 202]

This instance hardly rises to the absurd examples in your post. Afterall, they did provide a service.....This is the first time in my life that I've been scammed, ever, to my knowledge. I suppose that there are people that would pay that much to a Lawyer for the same. I'm pissed because I know how to fill out an application, even archaic mundane and absurd ones such as USCIS produces.

I blame this snafu wholly on my distaste of this process and my haste in clicking links from a site I trust, this one (oh, and Barrack Obama for not protecting me).....

I was too quick to want to get on with this #######, and ####### it is.....

Thanks for your input.

Were you communicating with someone to aid you in filling out the form? Then was the form e-mailed to you ready to print out, and 100% correct? Assume you had to provide like ten pages worth of information. Was there any question you actually needed help on?

Wife did have a bit of a debate with her IO when we put down she was out of the country 414 days in the last five years. Her IO said they wanted the total days we put in that table. Wife just politely replied, then why didn't they ask that? That was the end of that.

Filing for that three year marriage thing was a pain in the butt, complicated that both my wife and I were divorced once, and all that evidence.

Filing for my unmarried stepdaughter was a breeze and lived with us for the last five years. Spent more time copying and pasting that N/A in all the unused sections, over half the application. Then just the check and a copy of her green card for evidence.

Could wait for the five year.

[kaydee457 13]

Were you communicating with someone to aid you in filling out the form? Then was the form e-mailed to you ready to print out, and 100% correct? Assume you had to provide like ten pages worth of information. Was there any question you actually needed help on?

Wife did have a bit of a debate with her IO when we put down she was out of the country 414 days in the last five years. Her IO said they wanted the total days we put in that table. Wife just politely replied, then why didn't they ask that? That was the end of that.

Filing for that three year marriage thing was a pain in the butt, complicated that both my wife and I were divorced once, and all that evidence.

Filing for my unmarried stepdaughter was a breeze and lived with us for the last five years. Spent more time copying and pasting that N/A in all the unused sections, over half the application. Then just the check and a copy of her green card for evidence.

Could wait for the five year.

The questions, and subsequent answers, were all through online prompts. I answered all the questions and in turn they, or the application auto filled the application based on my input to their prompts/questions.

I seriously thought this was the USCIS site and I was simply responding to their (the US Govm't) questions....It was only in the last couple of pages that I intuitively felt something was amiss....Don't recall what that was, perhaps the $600+ application fee.

Yes, that was it! I remember saying to myself, '#######, there's more fees? I just paid $170 bucks!'. It was then I realized that I was on a second source site.......

[Brother Hesekiel 2,236]

It's not fraudulent, because they offered a service.

If I offer you a booklet about the secrets of becoming wealthy, and charge you $9.99 including shipping for it, and you get a booklet, and you open it, and it reads in a few paragraphs basically "save as much as you can, and spend as little as you can," you got what you paid for, as that is really the recipe to wealth. Spend less, save more. Live beyond your means. You may not like it, but that's your problem. If you would not receive anything for your money, then that would be a scam.

[kaydee457 13]

It's not fraudulent, because they offered a service.

If I offer you a booklet about the secrets of becoming wealthy, and charge you $9.99 including shipping for it, and you get a booklet, and you open it, and it reads in a few paragraphs basically "save as much as you can, and spend as little as you can," you got what you paid for, as that is really the recipe to wealth. Spend less, save more. Live beyond your means. You may not like it, but that's your problem. If you would not receive anything for your money, then that would be a scam.

Umm, you ignore the fact that they misrepresent themselves as an official US Gov website by cloaking the fact that they are simply a source of immigration services.

The very design of the website and the associated graphics as well as the name of the site promotes the idea that they are indeed affiliated with the USCIS when of course they are not......

This is not by accident.

They make no obvious claims to be a private organization hawking their wares....

There's no way to defend these people, they are what they are. They prey on the ignorant and the uninformed, and yes those of us that are asleep at the mouse...

It's intuitively obvious that the site is designed to promote an "Official" image and appearance to unsuspecting browsers. They are engaged in a scam in that respect.

[Rebecca Jo 1,962]

What's the difference between these bozos and a lot of the advertising running across the tops of the VJ forums?

[Rebecca Jo 1,962]

And to respond to AJ, Visa Journey is not getting in bed with any external firms or immigration consultants, not ones owned or operated by VJ members nor ones owned by non Visa Journey members, nor do any such firms or consultants receive preferential or special treatment. Our membership is not for sale to anyone for any reason nor are any of these firms or individuals allowed to recruit from within our membership. This is and will remain a Term of Service. If you have evidence to the contrary, please bring it to the Moderation Team's attention so we can deal with it.

How does this work for you?

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

How does this work for you?

'Tis true. The ad placement does make it look like they are an integral part of the sight, especially when they masquerade as part of the site navigation.

[mari&Ryan 93]

What's the difference between these bozos and a lot of the advertising running across the tops of the VJ forums?

None. As a matter of fact, the site that OP said he got from a post that was in a pinned thread is actually one of the three Google Ads located on the top of this forum of Citizenship. Specifically the one called: USCIS – Form N-400.

[kaydee457 13]

What's the difference between these bozos and a lot of the advertising running across the tops of the VJ forums?

Not a thing other than these 'bozos' were accessed through a link in a pinned post in this forum which has since been removed.....

If I had clicked on a banner that would be entirely different. I clicked on a link that I thought, given it was a pinned reference, was a legit site.....the site masquerades as a US Government site. It is not.

[Rebecca Jo 1,962]

Not a thing other than these 'bozos' were accessed through a link in a pinned post in this forum which has since been removed.....

If I had clicked on a banner that would be entirely different. I clicked on a link that I thought, given it was a pinned reference, was a legit site.....the site masquerades as a US Government site. It is not.

So who posted the site?

[Kathryn41 3,205]

The difference is that the paid advertisements at the top is something over which we have no control and is the means by which this site is offered free of charge. This site is hosted by a Google supported service and Google sells ads so that this forum can be provided at no charge. We do not endorse any of those advertisements, we do not promote them and we have no control over them. They are chosen by Google and not by Visa Journey.

Visa Journey does not endorse or support or recommend any other service than the USCIS site for information on the immigration process. Our members may offer their personal endorsement for services they have used or services they suggest not to use, but that is their personal content and as long as it does not violate the TOS for earning them some sort of financial remuneration, then it is allowed. This site is experiential based and may include links to outside sources as provided by our members and as is clearly defined in the TOS. Lawyers and Immigration Consultants are not allowed to advertise or solicit for business - in fact no member is allowed to advertise or solicit for any type of business, immigration related or otherwise, and we do the best we can to ensure that the information contained within the confines of Visa Journey itself is free from scam artists, however, it is still the responsibility of every user to understand there are risks involved with using links posted by other members - and that too is addressed in the TOS.

Unfortunately, the 2006 post in the pinned topic contained a member recommended link to a site obviously designed to disguise itself as an official government site for the intention of gaining business under 'false pretenses'. It should not have been included in the pinned thread and obviously slipped through the cracks.

That is the difference between the content contained and managed by Visa Journey Administration, and the unrelated Google ads that support the carrier this website uses.