I just recieved an e mail like this. Is it an attempt at identity theft? Or is it actually legit?

The Lottery Company
PO Box 200 Harrogate
HG1 2YR ,England
(Customer Services)
Ref: UK/0820X2/78
Batch: 074/05/ZY457


PRIZE AWARD NOTIFICATION
We are pleased to notify you the draw (998) of the UK NATIONAL LOTTERY, Online Sweepstakes International Lottery Program held 1st June 2008.The result of our computer draw (#978) selected your email address attached to E-ticket Number: 58775600545 V09. Which subsequently won you the lottery in the 2nd category i.e. match 5 plus bonus. You have therefore been approved to claim a total sum of 拢250,000.00(TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND POUNDS STERLING) in cash credited to file KTU/8823118308/07. This is from a total cash prize of 拢1,200,000.00 GBP shared amongst the first Four (4) lucky winners in this category i.e. Match 5 plus bonus.

Participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from a pool of over 25,000 names of distinguished professionals drawn from Europe, America, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Middle-East, parts of Africa, and North & South America as part of our international promotions programme conducted annually to encourage prospective overseas entries.

Our European agent will immediately commence the process to facilitate the release of your funds as soon as you contact him. Do establish contact via e-mail with the particulars requested in the winners claim form below between the hours of 8.00am - 7.30pm on Monday through Saturday.

Please fill and forward the appropriate informations below:

=====================WINNER'S CLAIM FORM=============================

PERSONAL DATA

FULL NAME :
FULL ADDRESS :
GENDER :
AGE :
NATIONALITY :
OCCUPATION :
RELIGION :
TELEPHONE NUMBER :
FAX NUMBER :

WINNING INFORMATION
BATCH NUMBER : 074/05/ZY457
SERIAL NUMBER : 3168/12
REFERENCE NUMBER : LSUK/2008/11781/07


To file for your claim, please contact the company Fiduciary agent with a filled copy of the above winner's claim form via:

Name: Mr. Stephen Giggs
Email: uk_claimsunit11@hotmail.com

Tel : +447 031 856425
+447 031 858162


Note that Our winners are assured of the utmost standards of confidentiality, and press anonymity until the end of proceedings, and beyond where they so desire. Be further advised to maintain the strictest level of confidentiality until the end of proceedings to circumvent problems associated with fraudulent claims. This is part of our precautionary measure to avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this program.

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

At your disposal, we remain.
Very Truly Yours,

Mrs. Stiffin McMeans
Online Sweepstake Co-ordinator.

LOL, you gotta be kidding...:-) If you fall for something like that, I've got some property to sell you.!! hahaha

Question: Did you or did you not had that lottery ticket or in any way purchased something that has to do with tickets?
If not, then is fraud. Be very careful, a lot of it is going around the globe.

It's one of many internet scams. Delete it. Type in the name of the prize sweepstakes, etc and you'll get a web page talking about it. You don't win if you never registered.

http://www.lottery.co.uk/info/scam8.asp

That's a no go... sorry you aren't a big winner.

It's a classic. It's called a Nigerian 419. Except they usually have a dead rich relative.

Sorry man.

it's scam. Do not believe it and never give any feed back for them. Just delete it.

It's Fake, trust us...

It's crap, i've had at least 5-10 like that.

if u didnt apply for it .... it's not yours. Nobody goes around giving free money.

The best thing you can do is to try and shut them down so that they can't scam other people.

Firstly, because they are using Hotmail for their contact email address, forward this email exactly as it is to abuse@hotmail.com. Do not alter the email in any way and especially DON'T fill any of the information in. If they were using Gmail or Yahoo mail then you would forward it to abuse@gmail.com or abuse@yahoo.com.

Secondly, if you are in the UK, you can try to notify the authorities of the phone numbers used in the email. Check that the phone numbers don't belong to a legitimate business (Do a search on the internet for the numbers and also check out the website of the company that the email claims to be from.) but don't try ringing the numbers. You won't be able to tell if they are legitimate or not by ringing them.
If the scammers are actually using those phone numbers then they will be shut down you may end up being responsible for a lot of gullible people not being scammed.

I think I am the richest person in the world.
Acually I have so much money coming I could buy the world.
Only one problem, I did not reply to any of these emails.
Sadly I won't be rich, but I will not be poorer.

Sorry to burst your bubble, it is a SCAM