You've had them, I've had them and hopefully you delete them. I'm talking about those scamming letters from some African dictatorship country pleading for assistance to liberate Millions of dollars from the country. What do you get from it - a percentage (normally about 10%) of the funds. Sounds too good to be true ? Well it is - wake up and smell the coffee.

This one came straight from my email inbox - Eddie The Eagles mailbox... the fools..

From: "OMEGA LOTTERY INC." <xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Saturday, December 27, 2003 1:25 PM
Subject: WINNING NOTIFICATION/FINAL NOTICE. ( CONTACT IMMEDIATELY).

OMEGA LOTTERY INC PROMOTION/PRIZE AWARD DEPT. HOLLAND.

REFF: AX2/316532/03.
BATCH: 12/100/IPD /NL.

WINNING NOTIFICATION/FINAL NOTICE.
We are pleased to inform you of the result of the OMEGA LOTTERY INC.
programs held on the 24th of Deceber 2003. Your e-mail address attached to
ticket number 11465800-125 with serial number 480542-01 drew lucky numbers
01-01-30-31-11 which consequently won in the 1st category, you have
therefore been approved for a lump sum pay out of USD$250,000.(Two Hundred
and Fifty Thousand Dollars)CONGRATULATIONS!!!
Due to mix up of some numbers and names, we ask that you keep your winning
information confidential untill your claims has been processed and your
money remitted into your accaunt. This is part of our security protocol to
avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this program by some
participants All participants were selected through a computer ballot system
drawn from over 100,000 company and 50,000,000 individual email addresses
and names from all over the world. This promotional program take place every
three years. We hope with part of your winning you will take part in our end
of year 50 million Dollars international lottery. To file for your
claim,please contact our fiduciary agent
Mr. Don Peters John,
PAYEE AGENT INC.
TEL:31 xxxxxxxxxx.
Remember, all winning must be claimed not later than 5th of January 2004.
After this date all unclaimed funds will be included in the next take Please
note in order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications please remember
to quote your reference number and batch numbers in all correspondence.
Furthermore,should there be any change of address do inform our agent as
soon as possible.
Congratulations once more! from our members of staff and thank you for being
part of our promotional program. Note: Anybody under the age of 18 is
automatically disqualified.
Sincerely yours,
Mrs. Clara White.
(Winning Co-ordinator)

Don,

I'm contacting you as required in order to claim my winning payout. Can
you advise what I need to do ?

Regards
Eddie

Sounds like the normal straight forward we've got loads of money and we want to give it to you but first of all you've got to give us some money..

From: <xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <EdwardEagle@nanomole.co.uk>
Sent: Saturday, December 27, 2003 2:25 PM
Subject: CLAIMANT PROCEDURE/FORM.

ATTN:
We have received your respond, please view the Attached and fill the Non
Residence Claim/Award Form and comply with the payment instruction as your
Claim Application form will ONLY be processed and validate for payment upon
the payment of our NON DEDUCTABLE service and Documentation charges of
€695.00 for non residence to enable us acquire the naturalization papers
from the court. This processing exercise will be directly handled by our
legal department.
Please be advised strictly that the processing charges is absolutely not
deductible as we have to meet up to the requirement of the paying authority
by attaching a Naturalization paper issued by a court here in The
Netherlands for Non Resident.
Please be advised that we will obtain the Naturalization paper from the
Court here in the NETHERLANDS that we are going to attach to your file along
with the Validation report by our Legal department to the paying authority
that will be getting more directly to you upon the completion of the wining
prize processing which takes 48 hours.
Endeavor to contact Mr. Don Peters John for details of processing charges
remittance.
Otherwise send us an endorsed letter of withdrawal of your winning claim
for our record purpose if you wish to decline your winning prize.
NB: Please be kind enough to confirm the receipt of the Appraisal form and
do the needful to enable swift commencement of your winning processing and
claim. Please Note that DEDUCTION OF PROCESSING CHARGES is absolutely not
possible as we are not the paying authority.
Please fill the claimant form and send it as an e-mail attachment file
and make the transfer of the processing and documentation charges for non-
residence to our cashier officer as indicated below by Western Union Money
transfer, this is because of the limited time factor.

NAME: OIJAGBA GEORGE ADAMS,
ADDRESS: VAN DER HUGERS 31,3145RE,
AMSTERDAM-THE NETHERLANDS.
Please as soon as the transfer is effected and the MTCN is receive, we
will commence on the processing immediately which takes 48 hours. Upon the
completion of the processing exercise within 48 hours; we will send your
file to the paying authority for your payment immediately.
Please treat as urgent to facilitate swift commencement of this processing
exercise.
Regards,
Don Peters John (Mr.)

Yup, thats exactly what it is...give us some money..

Dec 24th

Don,

Please find attached completed form. I've not had much practice on editing
forms on the PC so when I viewed it on my screen it looked small and
unreadable. I've been able to enlarge it so it's readable - I hope you can
read it also. If you can't please let me know soonest.

Can you advise on how the payment in Euros should be made to you ? I'm new
to this internet thing and am not sure on how to proceed. If you could
assist it would be appreciated.

Hopefully, you should also have an attachment if I've clicked the correct
buttons.

Regards
Eddie

And as a chase up note..

28th December

Don,

I sent you notification as well as a completed form on the above date- since then I've heard nothing. Please advise if you've received it.

Regards
Eddie

So I replied, unfortunately for Don his nice an small 71Kb document that he attached turned into a 16Mb attachment.

If this doesn't fill up his netscape inbox - something is wrong. :)

31st December

ATTN:
We have received your respond, please view the Attached and fill the Non Residence Claim/Award Form and comply with the payment instruction as your Claim Application form will ONLY be processed and validate for payment upon the payment of our NON DEDUCTABLE service and Documentation charges of €695.00 for non residence to enable us acquire the naturalization papers from the court. This processing exercise will be directly handled by our legal department.
Please be advised strictly that the processing charges is absolutely not deductible as we have to meet up to the requirement of the paying authority by attaching a Naturalization paper issued by a court here in The Netherlands for Non Resident.
Please be advised that we will obtain the Naturalization paper from the Court here in the NETHERLANDS that we are going to attach to your file along with the Validation report by our Legal department to the paying authority that will be getting more directly to you upon the completion of the wining prize processing which takes 48 hours.
Endeavor to contact Mr. Don Peters John for details of processing charges remittance.
Otherwise send us an endorsed letter of withdrawal of your winning claim for our record purpose if you wish to decline your winning prize.
NB: Please be kind enough to confirm the receipt of the Appraisal form and do the needful to enable swift commencement of your winning processing and claim. Please Note that DEDUCTION OF PROCESSING CHARGES is absolutely not possible as we are not the paying authority.
Please fill the claimant form and send it as an e-mail attachment file and make the transfer of the processing and documentation charges for non- residence to our cashier officer as indicated below by Western Union Money transfer, this is because of the limited time factor.

NAME: OIJAGBA GEORGE ADAMS,
ADDRESS: VAN DER HUGERS 31,3145RE,
AMSTERDAM-THE NETHERLANDS.
Please as soon as the transfer is effected and the MTCN is receive, we will commence on the processing immediately which takes 48 hours. Upon the completion of the processing exercise within 48 hours; we will send your file to the paying authority for your payment immediately.
Please treat as urgent to facilitate swift commencement of this processing exercise.
Regards,
Don Peters John (Mr.)

2nd January 2004

Don,

Can someone please advise what the status is on this - the closing date was
the 5th January and I've sent this twice now and not heard anything -
Please advise soonest...

Regards
Eddie

Incompetent bunch of idiots...They've lost my original 16Mb attachment so I resend a smaller one (about 700Kb)

4th January

ATTN: Mr. Edward Eagle,
Thanks so much for your respond to this office.
I want to let you know that this office have since recieved your form and all the spaces that was not filled by you have duely filled by the clark of the agency. And will have been since waiting for you to send to this office the proccessing fee of 695:00 euros as to commence on the filing of your winning sum.
Note as soon as this offcie recieved this proccessing fee of 695:00 euros in the next 48hours the money will be transfer into a nominated account by you.
So we are waiting upon to the reciept of the payement slip from our Accountant through the WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER as to commence on your filing.
For more information this is the name and address of accountant on whom you are making the payement OIJAGBAH GEORGE ADAMS, VAN DER HUGERS 31, 3145RE AMSTERDAM-THE NETHERLANDS.
Thank as this office to hear from you soon.
NOTE BE AWARE OF THE DEADLINE.

Don Peters John (Mr)

Ooooo a new name..

Don,

Thank you for confirmation that you had received the form. I though you may
have been closed for the festive season.

I don't know how to transfer the money to you (see my original note) - can
you advise how this is accomplished.

Thanks in advance
Eddie

He forgot to tell me how to do this western union thing...

Tues 6th January

Attn: Mr.Edward Eagle,
In respond to youe dated on the 3rd of January 2004, you are requesting on how to send the proccessing fee, so that this honourable can commence on the filing of your claims.
Note every delay that have made this office not to commence on your winning claims really on you, in avoidance of any further delays you are to go to any WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER close to your location and send the MTCN that is 10 digit number that can access the Cashier of this pick up this 695:00 Euros equivalent to the name and address of the Cashier Mr OIJAGBAH GEROGE ADAMS, Van Der Hugers 31, 3145RE Amsterdam-THE NETHERLANDS.
WE are waiting for the commencement of your filing as soon as this office recieve the proccessing fee from you.
Note you should indicate to this office on the mode of payement you need.
We anticipate your sudden response.

Don Peters John(Mr).

Don,

I've not been delaying this - I've been waiting to find out what to do -
waiting on a response from you actually !!.

I've been to the Western Union office and completed their forms and followed
their process - it seems rather longwinded given that you can transfer money
straight from my bank into another persons. Luckily they took UK cash as
getting my hands on that amount of Euros would have been problematic

I've done it anyway - and the number they gave me is 6230487725

Please advise accordingly what the next step and when I can expect to
receive my winnings.

Regards
Eddie

So it's my delay is it ! Bloody cheek..

Oh oh - its the same old story - send it by Western Union - I wonder how much money that Western Union transfer each day that is related to scams ?

8th January

ATTN:
To whom it may concern I want to let you know that you are not the actual winning of this lottery.
You send to this office a wrong WESTERN UNION TRANSFER number and the Cashier of this office have reported you the management of the office, infact I am disappionted about you.
If you want to transaction with this office you can send the control number for reconfirmation.
Thanks,
Don Peters John Mr.

Oh dear, how sad - a wasted trip to the Western Union office..

And why is he disappointed with me. Twat.

Don,

The number I gave you was correct - it's the one thats on the ticket..
6320487725. If there is any problems with this number, please let me know
and I'll return to the Western Union Office.

I have no idea why you're disappointed with me - I've sent the number as
requested - if you're upset with someone, it should be Western Union, not
me. I expect an apology for this wrong doing.

Regards
Eddie

The eagle eyed amongst you would have noticed that the number looks the same but a couple of the digits have been changed round. I've coloured them in for you so you don't have to check....

Do you think I'll get an apology..