Immigration Firm Deceptive, D.A. Says

A Newbury Park company that charges immigrants a fee to enter the federal government’s so-called “Green Card Lottery” is misleading its customers with false and deceptive advertising, a lawsuit filed Wednesday by the Ventura County district attorney’s office alleges.

The company, U.S. Immigration Services, charges individuals $50 and families $75 to enter their names into the U.S. government’s lottery program. The Immigration and Naturalization Service provides the service for free, which the company neglects to divulge in its advertising, the suit alleges.

“There is no problem with someone charging a fee to file some papers for you,” Deputy Dist. Atty. Michael Schwartz said. “The problem occurs when the company holds itself out to be part of the government.”

The suit claims that the company’s name and logo--an American flag--deceive customers into believing the firm is part of the federal government. It is owned by Howard Vine, who is also named in the suit along with employee Joseph Patronete.

The suit alleges that the company practices “false and misleading advertising and unfair business practices.” The company has also advertised in newspapers in Africa and Ireland and on the Internet using the names “U.S. Immigration” and “Official Lottery Information,” Schwartz said.

Schwartz said investigators were alerted to the company by the Ventura County clerk’s office when Vine filed a fictitious business statement last year. The suit was filed, Schwartz said, after his office received a complaint from a Lithuanian immigrant who believed she was dealing with the U.S. government.

“At this point, we don’t know how many victims we are dealing with,” Schwartz said.

The suit seeks an order stopping the company from using its current advertising practices as well as undisclosed monetary penalties. A court date has not been set.

Officials with the company could not be reached for comment.