> If you lose in the lottery, they'll refund the fees. One caveat to bear in mind is that applying for this visa shows intent, which may disqualify you for visas in the future which aren't dual intent, such as the B-1 & B-2 visitor visas.
(IANAL, but:)
This is very wrong on at least two counts: there is no fee for enrolling in the lottery and if anyone charges for it, they are a scammer and you should enroll directly on dvlottery.state.gov site (as explicitly stated in its FAQ). Also, simply signing up for lottery is generally not sufficient ground for immigration intent (though being conservative doesn't hurt).
I think he was confused with the situation when you actually win it. If you start the process of getting it, it will show immigration intents and you have fees to pay.
That's certainly true: it shows immigration intent at that point, like any application for permanent residence, but no fees will be refunded if for some reason your application gets denied.
I'll add that the initial registration is extremely easy and certainly does not require the help from an outside company. When I signed up in the past, if I remember correctly, it was very basic information about my identity, a picture and how to contact me. That was done in just a few minutes.
Once you win the lottery, it might or might not be wise to get help, but I don't really know since I didn't win.
warning: I am not a lawyer and thus not qualified to give legal advice, etc.
I've been heard similarly about the DV lottery and immigrant intent before. That said, if you're from one of the lower immigration countries, apparently the success rate is reasonably high for multiple retries.
(IANAL, but:) This is very wrong on at least two counts: there is no fee for enrolling in the lottery and if anyone charges for it, they are a scammer and you should enroll directly on dvlottery.state.gov site (as explicitly stated in its FAQ). Also, simply signing up for lottery is generally not sufficient ground for immigration intent (though being conservative doesn't hurt).