Expert: Marvinator - 11/15/2006

Question
Dear Marvinator,
I recieved an email from UK NATIONAL LOTTERY stating that I've won 500,000 GBP,
below is the email:

UK NATIONAL LOTTERY
Support Center
PO Box 1010
Liverpool
L70 1NL
United Kingdom.

FROM: THE DESK OF THE PROMOTIONS MANAGER,
INTERNATIONAL PROMOTION/PRIZE AWARD DEPARTMENT,

REF: UKNL/26530460037/06
BATCH: 24/05319/IPO

they are saying that I have been approved for a lump sum pay Of  500,000.00 British Pounds(GBP) in cash credited to file REF
NO. UKNL/26510555037/05.

and they advised me to order my price through courier which sent me the following e-mail.

From: Mr. Todd Ashley,
Head of Customer Care Dept.
PARCELFLASH COURIER SERVICES
                        HEAD OFFICE
                            113-114 SOUTH EAST ROAD
                                          PATCHWAY
                                             BRISTOL
                                    LONDON-ENGLAND
                                     UNITED KINGDOM
                                          BS34 5DP
                         TEL: +447-031905491
             E-mail: parcelflashcourier@yahoo.co.uk

To: Faiza M. Al Ali,
Winner of the UK NATIONAL LOTTERY.
Thanks for calling, i would want you to understand that it is impossible to pay your courier charges at the point of delivery.
All you have to do now is to send down your charges of £650.00 pounds for FedEx through western union money transfer to our payment officer.
Below is his details:
Name: Mr. Andrew Boyd

Address: 114 SOUTH EAST ROAD, PATCHWAY, BRISTOL
LONDON-ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM, BS34 5DP                                                           
You will have to complete this on time because you do not have much time to claim your prize. As soon as we receive the charges we will commence the process that will facilitate the swift dispatch of your prize to your present location as we have been doing for other winners that choose courier option since the promotions started.
Note: Do send the western union money transfer slip after sending the charges, and the information you used to send the charges.
Congratulations and have a nice day.
Todd Ashley.


Now Marvinator, what do you thing? shall I believe this. I'm totally confused. is there any chance this might be true ???
please help

Answer
This has nothing to do with ebay, but I am well versed in this sort of scam, and yes, it is a scam.  

The main clue to the fact that this is a scam is that you never entered any lottery (I'm guessing, but I know I'm right) so there is no way for you to have won anything.  

Second is the requirement of a FEE paid through Western Union.  A REAL lottery Corporation will not require you to pay a fee, and they WOULDN'T use Western Union to do so.

But the main thing to realize here is that it IS A SCAM. The only money which will be paid is YOURS to THEM.  Once you pay the "charges" there will be some other trumped up fees and payments, each one sounding very serious and also sounding like it's the last step in getting you your money.  Remember, THERE IS NO MONEY.  THERE IS NO LOTTERY.  IT'S ALL A SCAM.  

Delete the email and move on.  (Oh, and you may want to show your family this email and inform them that, should they get ANY email which proports to want to GIVE you money, delete it and move on.)