Advance Fee Fraud: ideceive@gmail.com wins the lottery

I'm pleased to announce that this blog has won El Fraudo Lottery of Spain, or rather that the 419ers have found our email address on our home page and are spamming it (and every other address they can harvest off the web). This spam was received from 81.202.248.10 (81-202-248-10.user.ono.com, part of a Spanish ISP's network) on Mon, 25 Apr 2005 18:55:58 -0000. Their tall tale is included below, by the modern magic of cut and paste.

Nacional Loterias Sp
Calle aberto 1-5a
Madrid Branch, Spain.
Reference numbers: SP/67-B1174832
                   YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS WON THE LOTTERY.
We wish to congratulate you over your success in our computer balloting sweepstake held on 23rd April 2005. This is a millennium scientific computer game in which email addresses were used. It is a promotional program aimed at encouraging internet users; therefore you do not need to buy ticket to enter for it. Your email address attached to ticket number 12 15 21 27 35, drew the lucky star numbers which consequently won the draw in the Second category. You have been approve for the star prize of One million one hundred thousand euros(1.1m euros).
CONGRATULATIONS!!!
You are advised to keep this winning very confidential until you receive your lump prize in your account.This is a protective measure to avoid double claiming by people you may tell. Send your winning ticket numbers, reference numbers amount won and your personal data for processing of your claim to sanchezfernando230@lawyer.com
All prizes must be claimed within three weeks.
NOTE: If you are under the age of 18, you are automatically disqualified for this star prize.
Yours faithfully,
Mrs. Eva Carlos.
CC :NacionalLoterie@netscape.net

Aside from the ridiculous idea that some organisation is forking out millions of euros at random for the purpose of "encouraging internet users", this is a modestly clever 419. It was sent from Spain, and it claims to be from Spain, for a start. Also, the use of a "lawyer.com" email address might give some a false sense of security. False? You bet! Lots of 419ers use "@lawyer.com" addresses. Ownership of an "@lawyer.com" address is, so far as I'm concerned, more likely to indicate fraud than lawyerhood.

Anyone who attempts to collect their winnings from this lottery will discover it's not so "free" after all. There will be certain expenses to cover. Then certain other expenses. Then certain further expenses. And taxes. And no winnings, ever! That's why they call it "advance fee fraud", folks!