Anybody else win $800,000 in El Gordo Spanish sweepstake lottery?

[js_africanus]

We are pleased to inform you of the release of 5th July. 2003 of the result of the El Gordo Spanish sweepstake lottery Int.promotion programs held on the Saturday, July 5th 2003.

Your name attached to the ticket number *** with serial number *** drew the lucky number *** which consequently won lottery in the 2nd category.
You are therefore been approved for a lump sum of US$800,000.00 (eight hundred thousand United states dollars) in cash credited to the file *** this is from the total cash prize of US$13,600,000.00 Thirteen million six hundred thousand United states dollars, shared among seventeen international winners in this category. Your fund is secured under a comperhensive insurance policy in your name, which permits nobody or group of persons to subtract from it. **Due to mixed up of some numbers and names. We ask that you keep this award top secrete from public notice until your claims has been processed and your money remitted to your norminated account. **As this is part of our security protocol to avoid double claiming or unwarranted taking of advantage of this program by participants.
All participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from 25,000 names, from all over the world as a part of our International promotion program which we conduct twice every year. We hope that, with a part of your prize you will take part in our middle of the year high stake US$1.3bn lottery. To avoid scam, please contact only your assigned agent below.
To begin your claim, please contact your claim agent JONATHAN DAVES the foreign service manager of EL MONDO SECURITY & FINANCE S.A. on *** for processing and remittance of your money to a designated account of your choice. Remember all prize money must be claimed not later than 6 weeks from the date of this notice after this date all funds will be returned to the ministerio de economia y hacienda as unclaimed.
Note in order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications, please quote your ref. and batch nos. in every correspondence with your agent.
Furthermore, should there be any change of address, do please inform your claims agent as soon as possible.
Attached is a copy of the award winning processing form, fill in
correctly and fax immediately to EL MONDO SECURITY & FINANCE S.A. for processing and claims. Your agent is entitled to
.5% of your total winning as commission after you must have received your money in your account.
Congratulations again from all members of staff and thank you for being a part of our promotions program.
Yours Sincerely
Mª Elena A GARCIA.

Too bad about the mix-up. I hope I can still collect. I’ll buy a cool car and a hamburger, no! a cheeseburger…

[SkyBum]

Damn! I never get the really cool scams…

[pezpunk]

You could double that money by helping a certain Nigerian I know! He emails me all the time. Let me know and I will forward it to you.

[Sunspace]

Mmmkay… where’s the advance-fee part? I mean, we know it’s a scam, but the mechanism is unclear. Presumably that part of the scam takes place after one has contacted the ‘designated agent’.

If I was going to respond, I’d set up a new, empty bank accout for the purpose.

[Tapioca_Dextrin]

It’s a scam. For the explanation, you can go to the official Spanish lottery site. Click on the “Otros Avios” button on the left hand side and then click on the British Flag for the information in English.

[js_africanus]

*Originally posted by Sunspace *
**Mmmkay… where’s the advance-fee part? **

I’m wondering if the percentage going to the agent is going to be asked for up front. (Or they could ask for my account info in order to drain my accound, as you seemed to imply.)

I decided to reply, stating (truthfully) that the collection form was not attached. I’m not sure what I’ll do if they ask me to fax it–is there some trick to that? I’ll offer to scan it and email it, thus avoiding the phone company.

I’m curious to see where this will lead.

[Svt4Him]

I won the exact lottery in Amterdam [sic] Holland! Wow, what luck.

[js_africanus]

*Originally posted by Tapioca Dextrin *
**It’s a scam. For the explanation, you can go to the official Spanish lottery site. Click on the “Otros Avios” button on the left hand side and then click on the British Flag for the information in English. **

So I was in the ball park. Thanks for the link. Now I have to get the false documents to send in to help prosecution.

[Otto]

In addition to the notes on the linked page above about being asked for processing fees, my WAG is that one would be asked for the routing and account information for their “norminated account,” which would allow the scammers to pull any funds in the account.

[Tapioca_Dextrin]

And here is the Snopes page.