Tangeni's “Lucky Break” – A Costly Lesson in Online Scams
Tangeni was over the moon. An email had just landed in his inbox claiming he had won US$2.5 million in an international lottery. The email included a ticket number, official-looking documents, and even a congratulatory note from a so-called lottery agent.
It felt real. It looked real. And Tangeni, a regular email user through work, figured this was just his lucky day. The instructions were clear: keep the news confidential, contact the agent, and provide your personal details to process the winnings.
He did as instructed.
The next day, Tangeni received a response from the “agent,” congratulating him again. But then came the catch — he needed to pay US$5,000 upfront to unlock his millions.
In his excitement, Tangeni borrowed money from family, friends, and co-workers — promising to repay them with interest. He sent the funds.
Then, silence.
The phone numbers stopped working. Emails bounced back. And the bank told him the account he paid into was recently closed.
Tangeni had been scammed.
It felt real. It looked real. And Tangeni, a regular email user through work, figured this was just his lucky day. The instructions were clear: keep the news confidential, contact the agent, and provide your personal details to process the winnings.
He did as instructed.
The next day, Tangeni received a response from the “agent,” congratulating him again. But then came the catch — he needed to pay US$5,000 upfront to unlock his millions.
In his excitement, Tangeni borrowed money from family, friends, and co-workers — promising to repay them with interest. He sent the funds.
Then, silence.
The phone numbers stopped working. Emails bounced back. And the bank told him the account he paid into was recently closed.
Tangeni had been scammed.
How to Avoid Lottery Scams
Online scams like this are more common than you think. Here’s how to protect yourself:
Remember:
If it sounds too good to be true — it probably is.
Stay alert. Ask questions. And don’t let scammers steal your money or your identity.
