From: uku.lottery@uku.co.uk
Sent: June 10, 2005
Subject: Lotto Winning Notification

The National Lottery
P O Box 1010
Liverpool, L70 1NL
UNITED KINGDOM

Ref: UK/9420X2/68
Batch: 074/05/ZY369

Attn: Miss Young

WINNING NOTIFICATION We happily announce to you the draw (#986) of the UK NATIONAL LOTTERY,online sweepstakes International program held on Sat 04 Jun 05.Your e-mail address attached to ticket number:56475600545188 with Serial number 5368/02 drew the lucky numbers: 06-08-13-15-21-40(bonus no:35),which subsequently won you the lottery in the 2nd category i.e match 5 plus bonus.

You have therefore been approved to claim a total sum of #79,420 (Seventy nine thousand four hundred and twenty pounds sterling) in cash credited to file KTU/9023118308/03.This is from a total cash prize of #1,508,980(One million five hundred and eight thousand nine hundred and eighty pounds sterling) shared amongst twentyone (19) people. All participants for the online version were selected randomly from World Wide Web sites through computer draw system and extracted from over 100,000unions, associations, and corporate bodies that are listed online.
This promotion takes place weekly.Please note that your lucky winning number falls within our European booklet representative office in Europe as indicated in your play coupon.In view of this,you have therefore been approved to claim a total sum of ?79,420 (Seventy nine thousand four hundred and twenty pounds sterling) which would be released to you by any of our payment offices in Europe.Our European agents will immediately commence the process to facilitate the release of your fund as soon as you contact them.

For security reasons, you are advised to keep your winning information confidential,until your claim is processed and your money remitted to you in whatever manner you deem fit to claim your prize. This is part of our precautionary measure to avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this program. Please be warned.

To file for your claim, please contact our fiduciary agent: MR PETER PRICE Email: prima4807@yahoo.co.uk

YOU CAN GO TO OUR ONLINE RESULT SITE TO VERIFY THE VALUE OF YOUR WINNINGS AND ALSO GET A PRIZE BREAKDOWN, AND PLEASE ENSURE YOU CHECK THE CORRECT DRAW NUMBER #986)http://www.national-lottery.co.uk/player/p/results/results.do
Goodluck from me and members of staff of the UK NATIONAL LOTTERY.

Yours faithfully,
Sir. Richard K. Fletcher.
Online coordinator for UK NATIONAL LOTTERY
Sweepstakes International Program

The website confirms my winning numbers. On another page, I see that the address in Liverpool in the email is correct. I also see that my prize will be payed by cheque, and that I will have to complete a claim form. The only suspicious thing is the free email address of the fiduciary agent, and of course the fact that I didn't know that I participated in the lottery.

I send my address to Peter Price, and tell him that I want to claim my prize.

From: uku.lottery@uku.co.uk
Sent: June 11, 2005
Subject: Congratulations/ Claim Processing

Attn: Miss Young

Congratulations. It is our official duty to notify you that you are required to make your claims before the 30th day of June, 2005 as stipulated with the English laws guiding stringent money movement policies from United Kingdom. Any claim not made by this date will be returned to HER MAJESTYS DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY.

For us to process your winning, you are required to send a copy of your identification (International Passport/ Drivers license/ Work ID), your contact address, your contact telephone and fax numbers. This is required to enable us commence your winning processing in accordance to the English laws.

It might interest you to know that the UK's first National Lottery was actually way back in 1569 would you believe, but it eventually died out, only to be resurrected as an annual event between c. 1750 and 1826. Ever since then, it's not been possible to buy a National Lottery ticket here in the UK until the launch of the current UK National Lottery on Monday 14th November 1994. Why ? Well, I blame the soccer pools companies for putting pressure to preserve their status as the only way of winning more than a million pounds in this country. It's total madness that we were denied a National Lottery in the UK for 168 years because of this - even Albania has got one ! Today UK national lottery has ressurected with the biggest hit ever made.

This makes the the UK National Lottery unique amongst European national lotteries because it is run by a private company rather than the state. Some 30,350 outlets have National Lottery terminals installed (6,500 more have Instants terminals) and the plan is to have totals of 35,500 and 16,500 terminals respectively by the end of 2005.

The Uk National Lottery and is committed to maximizing returns to the Good Causes in a socially responsible way. Since 1994, We have raised 12.9 billion for Good Causes, funding over 139,000 projects across the UK.

Note that failure to abide by our rules and regulations will be termed as a refusal to rewceive the won prize within the stipulated time frame.Your immediate coperation will be highly appreciated and congratulations once more!

Yours Truly,

Peter Price
Batch Payment Officer
Sweepstakes International Program
Payment and Release Order Dept.
UK Lottery International
P.O. Box 101 Liverpool
L70 1NL, United Kingdom
+44-777-4595846

I did not expect an answer like this, with 400+ years of history of the lottery along with his personal opinion.

His telephone number is a mobile phone, but nowadays everyone uses them.

I don't like sending my ID, so instead I send him a large file:

Thanx Peter. I like your sense of humour. I have attached my passport. The other stuff I sent you already. Have a nice day. ...

From: uku.lottery@uku.co.uk
Sent: June 11, 2005
Subject: Not Recieved.

Attn: Miss Young

The attached passport copy was not received. Please resend again to enable us commence the release processing immediately.

Yours Truly,
Peter Price
Batch Payment Officer
Sweepstakes International Program
Payment and Release Order Dept.
UK Lottery International
P.O. Box 101 Liverpool
L70 1NL, United Kingdom
+44-777-4595846

From: uku.lottery@uku.co.uk
Sent: June 13, 2005
Subject: Notarisation process and Release of prize.

Attn: Miss Young

Sequel to our resolution meeting and after verification of your winning notification and documentation sent by our coordinator, MRS RITA CHURCHILL we are required to get Notarization and Stamp duty on your winning to enable the bank carry out the transfer of your winning and also make or leave you as the true beneficiary of the DRAW under the UK.LOTTERY INC, Zoned Payment Center.

It is not in our policy to accept fees from any prize winner but it was resolved after the 9/11 attack to United states to enhance speedy delivery of won prize to the beneficiary and for the funds not to associated with money laundering, drug traffiking or terrorist sponsorship. Therefore all won prizes have to be notarised with duty stamp according to the English lotto laws.

Therefore, further note that you are required to make payment of 350Pounds to enable us get the notarization and stamp duty fee, and payment should be made via WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER as it is the fastest and safest means to get the required money to us due to time factor. You are to make this payment in the name our financial coordinator:

NAME: Mr. Peter Williams
ADDRERSS : London - United Kingdom

It is our official duty to notify you that you are required to make your claims before the 30th day of June, 2005 as stipulated with the English laws guiding stringent money movement policies from United Kingdom. Any claim not made by this date will be returned to HER MAJESTYS DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY Therefore You have only two options to make your claims:

Thereafter, send the Payment retrieval datas to enable our corresponding Bank effect the transfer of your winning through Telegraphic wire transfer within 48 hours after clarification of your payment for stamp duty and Notarization. You are to also NOTE that the Money for the Stamp duty and Notarisation is as it is stipulated by the English law.

You are to act without further delay. The break down of the Expenses of the funds is as follows:

1. 200 Pounds is for the stamp duty that is to be paid at the OFFICE OF THE COURT REGISTRAR.
2. 100 Pounds IS TO BE PAID AT THE BOARD OF INTERNAL REVENUE AS WINNING TAX.
3. 50 Pounds IS FOR THE SHIPMENT TO YOU VIA COURIER SERVICE THE HARD COPY OF YOUR CERTIFICATE OF WINNING AND OUR PROMOTIONAL ITEMS AS OUR PROCEDURE DEMANDS WITH IMMUNIY AND COMPREHENSIVE INSURANCE.

Congratulations once more!

Yours Truly,
Best Regards.

Peter Price Jackson
Batch Payment Officer
Sweepstakes International Program
Payment and Release Order Dept.
UK Lottery International
P.O. Box 101 Liverpool
L70 1NL, United Kingdom
+44-777-4595846

Apparently he accepted my "passport". At least it did not stop him from asking me to pay a 350 pound fee. I wonder what his real name is, Peter Price, Peter Williams or Peter Price Jackson?

He is asking for a Western Union money transfer. I cannot believe that the National Lottery will use such a method of moneytransfer, so I go back and have another look at their website. I find this about fraudulent emails:

From: uku.lottery@uku.co.uk
Sent: June 21, 2005
Subject: June 30, 2005 Deadline.

Attn: Miss Young

The Uk National Lottery and is committed to maximizing returns to the Good Causes in a socially responsible way. Since 1994, We have raised 12.9 billion for Good Causes, funding over 139,000 projects across the UK. Earlier, we do not go along the procedure of paying for notarisation before release of won prizes but considering the 9/11 attack, the united nations security organisation now maintained that all winnings must fall within the natorisation process to be sure that its not meant for illegalities or terrorism.

Note that failure to abide by our rules and regulations will be termed as a refusal to receive the won prize within the stipulated time frame.Your immediate coperation will be highly appreciated and congratulations once more!

Yours Truly,

Peter Price
Batch Payment Officer
Sweepstakes International Program
Payment and Release Order Dept.
UK Lottery International
P.O. Box 101 Liverpool
L70 1NL, United Kingdom
+44-777-4595846

I ask for his email accounts to be closed. Until this happens, let us have some fun, and pretend we payed the fee:

Thank you for informing me, but there must be some kind of mistake. I transferred the 350 pounds by Western Union one week ago, just like you instructed. Please find out where in your organisation that the error was made....

From: support@uku.co.uk
Sent: June 21, 2005
Subject: Your Support Ticket No. 4446-0

Dear Sir/Madam,

Thank you for contacting UKU Technical Support.

We thank you for bringing a 419 abuser to our attention. We have forwarded your complaint to the abuse department who will track the user down and flag the mailbox for closure. This will render the account unusable.

We appreciate you for helping us to stamp out these spammers. ...

From: Peter Price <prima4807@yahoo.co.uk>
Sent: June 23, 2005
Subject: Re: June 30, 2005 Deadline.

thats just a joke. you won no lottery. I was only joking. hahahahahahahahahhah, yo have a nice day ok

From: Yahoo! UK & Ireland Mail <uk-mail-abuse@yahoo-inc.com>
Sent: June 23, 2005
Subject: Re: 419 Advance Fee Fraud: prima4807@yahoo.co.uk

Hello,
Thanks for writing to Yahoo! UKIE Customer Care.
Thank you for reporting this to Yahoo! It is prohibited to send unsolicited or 'spam' email from a Yahoo! Mail account as agreed by new users when accepting the Yahoo! Terms of Mail Service Agreement.

In this particular case, we have identified the account used to send this email and have taken the appropriate action to prevent it from being used again to send spam mail. ...