Microsoft Global Email Lottery Fooled into thinking I would be a very wealthy woman Amsterdam Internet

This an email I received and official notification on June 6, 2009 announcing that I was a winner of GBP 5,000,000.00 only in the Email electronic sweepstakes organized by Microsoft, in conjunction with the foundation for the promotion of software prducts held on January 1, 2009 in Amsterdam the Netherlands. They stated may my file falls in their South African claim office in Johannesburg. I fill out the beneficiary information at the bottom of the notice. On June 11, 2009 I receive this email

Attn: Winner
MICROSOFT Lottery Payment Notification: 5,000,000.00 (Five Million British Pounds Only)

Good Day winner of Microsoft Email Global Lottery Award.
We the Microsoft Lottery Award paying bank has received your winning details which has been approved from the Microsoft Lottery claim Agent this morning DR. Williams Smith , Sir/madam be informed that your winning fund has been approved and is ready for your payment.

Please do see your award winning certificate and a bank form for you to fill correctly for your payment immediately AND Return it back to us via email attachment or fax as soon as possible.

Finally Note that the transfer/payment will be made straight to your account no matter where or which country you are at. AND please do call the bank on the above details as soon as you have submitted your payment form to them. And don't forget that as we the payment bank has contacted it means your winning fund is now approved and ready for your payment.
Note we have tried calling you, but could not reach you.

Thanks Good day Winner, we the First National Bank of South Africa has transferred your MICROSOFT LOTTERY AWARD FUND of GBP5,000,000.00 To your nominated bank account in (----) (USA). As you have provided to us/Instructed us to.

Sir. Note that we have tried several times to call you, but no one answered the phone each time we called. Please we will appreciate your call or emails as soon as you receive this mail with a copy of the transfer slip of GBP5, 000,000.00.

Once again congratulations and do make sure you check the transfer slip very well and reconfirm back to us immediately to enable us know that you have received this mail.

Mr. Fred Walter

(FIRST NATIONAL BANK INTERNATIONAL REMITTANCE DEPARTMENT M.D)

They ask me to email them to verify the transfer slip was correct with my information on it.

On June 17, 2009 I received a phone call to check my email. That's when they tell me that they put a hold on the transfer because the winning had to be converted into USD. I had to pay GBP 1,500 which is equilent to 2,500.00 before they would transfer the winnings.

From the beginning I felt this was rip off, Turns out I was right. Anytime someone notifies you that you have won money, why should you have to pay up front a fee to receive it. Why they just don't subtract out of your winnings!

Mary
Meridian, Mississippi
U.S.A.