Complaint Review: Burkina

If you find some email of this sort:

DATE: 16 june 2004
FROM: THE DESK OF THE VICE PRESIDENT.
BURKINA POOLS INTERNATIONAL LOTTERY PROMOTIONS/PRIZE AWARD.
OUAGADOUGOU BURKINAFASO.
AVENUE NKURGURA OUAGA BP
BURKINAFASO WEST AFRICA

!!!!!!!!!!!!!CONGRATULATION!!!!!!!!!!
Dear lucky winner

We are pleased to inform you of the result of the BURKINA POOLS LOTTERY
RAFFLE DRAW International programs held on the 23rd febuary,2004.

Your e-mail address was attached to ticket number 15511465896-0010. with serial number 312-5510 drew lucky numbers 77-24-86-23-36-46 which consequently won in the 1st category, you have therefore been approved for
a lump sum payment of 500,000.00 euros(five Hundred Thousand Euros).

CONGRATULATIONS!! Due to mix up of some numbers and names, we ask that you keep your winning information confidential untill your claim has been processed and your money Remitted to you. This is part of our
security protocols 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 20,000 company and 30,000,000 individual's email addresses from all over the world. This promotional program takes place every year.

This lottery was promoted and sponsored by International software organisation committe, we hope with part of your winning you will take part in our next year ( 1 million) international lottery.

To file for your claim, please contact our claim agent

Email: (claimming_manager@consultant.com)

Contact your claim agent for due processing and remittance of your prize money to a designated account of your choice. Remember, you must contact your claims officer not later than 25 june 2004. After this
date, all funds will be returned as unclaimed.

NOTE: In order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications, please remember to quote your reference numbers in every one of your correspondences with your officers. Furthermore, should there be any change of your address, do inform your claims officer as soon as possible.

Congratulations again from all our staff and thank you for being part of our promotions program.

We wish you continued good fortunes.

Best regards.

ALHAJI IDRISSA SAWADOGO

It is a fraud. Do not give personal information to the "claim agent." They will later ask for 500EUROS of WESTERN UNION TRANSFER MONEY to a "Mrs. Edit Victor Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso" (whom is the secretary of the claim agent, who claims to be a lawyer) to get the release form for your "money," which was supposedly 500,000 EUROS(approx. 608,000 USD). I told them that I thought it was a scam, and they ran off. Luckily, I called it a scam before I gave my money.

Matthew
Jordan, Minnesota
U.S.A.