i received an email from [e-mail] saying i've won 800,000 UK pounds.. anybody.. is it a scam?

Question

he told me to email him to know the the details of this UK GSM WINNINGS

Answer 1

yes its always a scam

Answer 2

Super Scam. You receive an unsolicited email, which states that you have won a major prize in an international lottery. Supposedly, your email address was collected online and attached to a random number that was subsequently entered in a draw for the lottery. In order to claim your prize, you are instructed to contact the official "agent" in charge of your case. You are also advised to keep the win confidential for "security reasons". This part of the scam is basically a random phishing expedition. If you respond in any way to the email, the scammers will send further messages or even contact you by phone in an attempt to draw you deeper into the scam.

You may be asked to provide banking details, a large amount of personal information, and copies of your driver's licence and passport. Ostensibly, these requests are to prove your identity and facilitate the transfer of your winnings. However, if you comply with these requests, the scammers will have enough information to steal your identity.

Sooner or later, the scammers will request some sort of advance fee supposedly to cover administration, legal or delivery costs. At its core, this scam is just a reworking of the Nigerian loan fraud, in which scammers also eventually ask for upfront fees to facilitate the "deal". Like Nigerian scams, victims who do actually pay the requested fees will probably find that they receive continuing payment demands to cover "unexpected expenses". The requests for money will go on until the victim realizes what is happening or has no further money to send.

In some cases, the scammers give victims the option of opening an account at a particular bank as an alternative to paying upfront fees. However, this "bank" which is completely bogus, will insist on an initial deposit of $3000 as a requirement for opening the account. The fake bank will have a legitimate looking website to reinforce the scam. In other cases, the victim is given the option of travelling to an overseas destination and paying a cash fee to facilitate the release of the funds. However, any "winnings" released to the victim will be counterfeit and therefore worthless.

The details of the lottery scams vary regularly with regard to the name of the lottery itself, the country of origin, the sponsoring organization, the amount of the "prize" and other particulars. The scammers try to add a patina of legitimacy to their claims by mentioning real financial institutions, government departments or well-known companies. They may also provide links to slick looking, but fraudulent websites that are designed to back up information included in the scam emails. If the scammers are successful in establishing a dialogue with a potential victim, they may provide "proof" such as a scanned image of a supposed government official's ID and even photographs of the "winnings" in cash.

Answer 3

Yes this is definitely a scam and any time you receive suspicious emails like this make sure you mark them as spam so you won't receive more messages from the same company/person later on.

They most likely will either ask you for some form of cash or check later in time or ask you to buy one of their products to receive the so called prize money. Also make sure you never send important information through these emails because alot of times it will be a scam to get your money or important info like bank numbers etc.

Answer 4

I received similar email from the UK telling me I won 500.000 Pounds Sterling in a Peugeot Car lottery. They even gave me a GSM number and asked for details of my name, marital status, address (but not credit card which I think they will do if I replied to them).

I googled Peugeot Company and forwarded the email I received to them. I am still waiting for their reply.

It sounds like it's the same mob. I would ignore it if I were you.

Answer 5

yes, it's a scam - delete ALL unknown email addresses, and for a laff, look at "rip off dot com) - or a similar site, 4 some useful information - if you didn't enter a contest; don't believe the communication - it's all about the $ and about U being smart enuff to avoid the pitfalls!!!

Answer 6

If it looks too good to be true, it usually is. His next eMail will tell you that you need to send him $$ to process the winnings.

There is also an Irish Sweepstakes variant of this.

Be suspicious of ANY e-Mail that tells you that you have won. A certified letter would be more appropriate.

Answer 7

I just posted a question just like this one.
All of the sudden i'm getting all of these e mails saying i either won some lottery or i've been left in some strangers will.
It's pretty sick.
I'm sure it's a scam of some sort and a really twisted one!

Answer 8

You don't get anything for nothing, it's a scam do not answer do not give personal information.The following sites give more information.
www.scambusters.org
www.hoaxbusters.ciac.org
www.scambusters-419.co.uk
www.truthorfiction.com
.Also If you go to the following link you will get some info on ID theft www.identity-theft.org.uk the iinternet is safe enough if you are careful but please answer nothing that you are doubtful about.Good Luck and be careful.

Answer 9

My friend also got the same massage to his GSM mobile from another Gsm phone , before 12 hours.

Answer 10

That is a scam. Report it to your email provider.

For future reference: it is illegal for an American on American soil to claim winnings from overseas lotteries or contests.

Answer 11

Yes -- this gets asked 10 times a day -- it is a SCAM!