419 scam: TNL Special Programme <barbara.mcpherson@tnlprog.org> 25/02

joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet

Try our spam filter!
Free trial for 30 days

Home

About Us

Spam

419/Nigeria

Fraud

Contact

"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

The so-called "419" scam is a type of fraud dominated by criminals from Nigeria and other countries in Africa. Victims of the scam are promised a large amount of money, such as a lottery prize, inheritance, money sitting in some bank account, etc.

Victims never receive this non-existent fortune but are tricked into sending their money to the criminals, who remain anonymous. They hide their real identity and location by using fake names and fake postal addresses as well as communicating via anonymous free email accounts and mobile phones.

Keep in mind that scammers DO NOT use their real names when defrauding people.
The criminals either abuse names of real people or companies or invent names or addresses.
Any real people or companies mentioned below have NO CONNECTION to the scammers!

Read more about such scams here or in our 419 FAQ. Use the Scam-O-Matic to verify suspect emails.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

This email uses a separate reply address that is different from the sender address. Spammers use this to get replies even when the original spam sending accounts have been shut down. Also, sometimes the sender addresses are legitimate looking but fake and only the reply address is actually an email account controlled by the scammers.
The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "processdirector@the-national-lottuk.net" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
This email message is a fake lottery scam. Consider the following facts about real lotteries:
1. They don't notify winners by email.
2. You can't win without first buying a lottery ticket.
3. They don't randomly select email addresses to award prizes to.
4. They don't use free email accounts (Yahoo, Hotmail, etc) to communicate with you.
5. They don't tell you to call a mobile phone number.
6. They don't tell you to keep your winnings secret.
7. They will never ask a winner to pay any fees to receive a prize!
This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
- +4407024019539
This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
- processdirector@aol.co.uk (Aol, United Kingdom; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
- email: _processdirector@the-national-lottuk.net_, _processdirector@aol.co.uk= _ =a0=a0=a0=a0=a0=a0 congratulations once again from me (The-national-lottuk; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: TNL Special Programme <barbara.mcpherson@tnlprog.org>
Reply-To: barbara.mcphersons_tnl@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Fri, 09 Jul 2010 05:56:47 -0400
Subject: 25/02 - Kindly confirm receipt of selection!

Dear Selected Participant,

THE NATIONAL LOTTERY (TNL) has just concluded a recent special =20
programme in which your email address was amongst the specially =20
selected which makes you entitled to receive an amount with winning =20
details as follows:

FILE CATEGORY: LOTTO HOTPICKS, WINNING NOS:=A0 11,13,21,33,36,47
=A0
All participants for the online version were selected randomly from =20
the World Wide Web through a computer draw system and extracted from =20
over several unions, associations, and corporate bodies that are =20
listed online.
=A0
To confirm the authenticity and validity of your winnings as well as =20
to commence receipts of your entitlement, you _MUST FORWARD_ a copy of =20
this notification as well as your

FULL NAMES -
VALID MOBILE/CONTACT TEL -
COUNTRY OF RESIDENCE -

to our processing director via contact information below, feel free =20
also to give him a call;

Mr. Calvin Walter,
Processing Director,
Special Programme Department,
Tel: +44 (0) 702 401 9539
Email: _processdirector@the-national-lottuk.net_, _processdirector@aol.co.uk=
_
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0
Congratulations once again from me and entire members of staff of our =20
firm and it is our hope that you participate in any of our =20
international programs in the nearest future.

Yours faithfully,
Miss Barbara McPherson,
Special Programme Coordinator,
Special Programme Department
Email: progcoordinator@the-national-lottuk.net, tnlspecialprog@aol.co.uk

************************************************************
DISCLAIMER & CONFIDENTIALITY:
The information contained in this communication is intended solely for =20
the use of the individual or entity to whom it is addressed and others =20
authorized to receive it, as it may contain confidential or legally =20
privileged information. If you are not the intended recipient you are =20
hereby notified that any disclosure, unauthorized use, copying, =20
distribution or taking any action in reliance on the contents of this =20
information is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful. If you have =20
received this communication in error, please notify us immediately by =20
responding to this email and then delete it from your system.
THE NATIONAL LOTTERY (TNL) is neither liable for the proper and =20
complete transmission of the information contained in this =20
communication nor for any delay in its receipt.
************************************************************

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam