Complaint Review: UK Thunderball Lottery - TNT Courier Service

Recently i recieved an email stating that i had won a large amount of money through the UK Thunderball Lottery System, stating that my email address had been randomly selected out of there computerized system and that in order to collect my winnings i was to contact TNT Courier Service to work out the fees that would apply in order for them to courier my cheque ect to me here in Australia. Here is a copy of the letter i recieved firstly.

Dear Winner
We happily announce to you the results of draw of the UK EMAIL LOTTERY. The online Thunderball International program held on the 23rd of April,2007 was carried out using our computerized random selector, which favoured you by picking out your existing email account amongst other nine lucky individuals.
You have therefore been approved to claim a total sum of 753,437.00 in cash credited to file KTU/9023118308/03. This is from a total cash prize of 7,534,370.00 shared amongst the first Ten (10) lucky winners in category B.

CONTACT YOUR FIDUCIARY AGENT:Mr. Steve Williams
EMAIL: info_thunderball@inMail24.com

VERIFICATION FORM:
FULL NAME...............................................
WINNING E-MAIL ADDRESS......................
FULL ADDRESS:.......................................
SEX:..................................
AGE....................................
OCCUPATION........................................
TEL.......................MOBILE.....................
COUNTRY...............................................
Congratulations once more from all members and staffs of this program.
Thank you for being part of our online promotional lottery program.
Yours Truly,
Mrs. Anne Woods
Co-Coordinator (Online Promo Programme).

So i filled in my details and sent a reply as it stated, Second letter

The National Lottery
P.O.Box 1010
Liverpool, L70 1NL
UNITED KINGDOM
(Customer Services)

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

ATTN:Winner,

CONGRATULATIONS! This is to inform you that you have been cleared a winner of the UK THUNDERBALL EMAIL LOTTERY program.
I am glad to inform you,that your Original Certificate and your Certified bank cheque has been fowarded to the courier company. Find below the details of the company.

TNT COURIER SERVICES.
ADDRESS: Rovex House, Hay Hall Rd. Tyseley,
Birmingham. B11 2AG. England.
NAME: MR. GEORGE FORMBY (dispatch officer)
EMAIL: tntcourierservice_dept@yahoo.co.uk

You are advised to send the courier company a mail to their email address for their courier cost of delivery. When contacting them,you are to include your winning amount as your subject.

Note: you are to Quote your complete names,Ref/Batch Numbers, winning amount and your direct phone number so that they can honour your letter.Once again i say congratulations and always inform me with your dealings with the courier company. and send your contact address to the courier company and your Date of birth.

Thanks,
Mr. Steve Williams
Fiduciary Agent,
UK NATIONAL LOTTERY

So as advised i got incontact with the courier company who then informed me by email on the cost involved in actually recieving my winnings as you will see the prices are outrageous.
Ltter from TNT COURIER SERVICE

TNT COURIER SERVICE (TNT)
Customer/Delivery Services Department
12 Ground Floor,
Amburst Service,
London E8 2BT,
United Kingdom.
Tel:+4470-45707860

ATTN :#*#*#




Welcome to TNT COURIER SERVICE DEPARTMENT .We ensure a safe, sound and secure delivery of your parcels,making sure you get them when expected.


Your package containing your cheque, original copy of your certificate and security documents .

Kindly provide us with the information requested below accurately to help us deliver your package as the information provided will be used to contact you and the address provided is where your winning package will be shipped to. When This is done you will be issued a tracking number with which you will be able to monitor your package online.

Contact Name:

Residential Address:

City:

State:

Postal Code:

Country:

Telephone Ext.:

Package Contents: Cheque, Winning Certificate and Security Documents.


Delivery time :.....................( time of recipient's availability)

Service Options: You are required to select a service option below.

The options, together with their associated conditions are presented below:

Option:1
EXPRESS DELIVERY (24working hrs)
Mailing................................205.00
Insurance............................420.00
Vat (5%)...............................075.00
TOTAL.................................700.00========$ 1,382.99 USD

Option:2
PREMIUM SERVICE(2working days)
Mailing &n bsp;...................170.00
Insurance............................230.00
Vat (5%)...............................100.00
TOTAL.................................500.00========$ 987.850 USD

Option:3
REGULAR SERVICE(3working days)
Mailing ;.............................100.00
Insurance............................200.00
Vat (5%)...............................80.00
TOTAL.................................380.00========$ 750.766 USD

BANK TRANSFER OPTION:
If you prefer the direct bank tranfer option,you are adviced to meet the requirement of our transferring bank (NATWEST BANK):
a). provide the full name and address of your bank, and their Fax/phone number.
b).your account informations
c).Activate a secure online account with our transferring bank,with 2000GBP


If you need a currency converter, click on the link below:


Currency Converter http://www.xe.com


MODE OF PAYMENT

The charges are a little bit high because of the Hardcover insurance Policy we have undertaken incase of loss,Damage or Theft of your highly sensitive document and funds. We assume all responsibilities incase of any eventualities and we don't deliver on cash on delivery(C.O.D) because we don't accept cash.

Note that your prize is protected by a hardcover insurance policy by which makes it impossible for us to deduct any amount from your winnings before it is Remitted to you.This means that the above charges cannot be deducted from the prize and hence must be provided by you before your prize is transferred to you.



You are required to make this payment via WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER in the name of our Accounts officer MR. JUSTIN TAYLOR.




NAME OF RECEIVERS: MR JUSTIN TALOR.
ADDRESS:12 Ground Floor,
Amburst Service,
London E8 2BT,
United Kingdom

The following payment information should be sent to this office via email.


NAME OF SENDER:
ADDRESS OF SENDER:
AMOUNT SENT:
ANY QUESTION:
MONEY TRANSFER CONTROL NUMBER:
NAME OF RECEIVER:


Also be reminded that the deadline for the claiming of your winnings is exactly ONE WEEK after the receipt of this email.After this period, your cash prize will be deemed to have been forfeited by you and will be re-used in the drawings of the next edition of the lottery.

Good luck and Congratulations once again. Please send your response within the next 24hrs to this same email address.


Best Regards,
MR.George Formby
Client Service Manager
TNT COURIER SERVICE.
Open 7days-24hrs-365days.
Tel:+4470-45707860

Then to see if this was actually a scam i tried to phone the number which headed the letter, when the man picked up the phobe he didn't even mention TNT and i couldn't understand what he was saying so i hung up and forwarded him a letter saying that i was not paying any money to recieve my prize, i recieved this letter back

Dear #*#*#*#*,
Now I know you were the customer that called me today. If you prefer to recieve your winnings via our bank transfer, you will be expected to activate your personal account online with a minimum of 2,000GBP payable through western Union, in which your winning cheque will be lodged and wired to your account in Australia.
But if you want you could pay for any of our delivery options to recieve your package in due time.
My best regards,
George.F

Now tell me what you think? SCAM!

Jessica
Perth
Australia