How to distinguish scams like "LOTERIA NAVIDAD 2023"
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on
What is "LOTERIA NAVIDAD 2023"?
After reviewing the email, we have determined that it is a deceptive message impersonating a notification about unclaimed prize money. The individuals orchestrating this scam intend to entice recipients to disclose personal information and potentially make monetary transactions. Recipients should approach such emails with skepticism and caution.
More about the "LOTERIA NAVIDAD 2023" scam email
This scam email claims to congratulate the recipient on winning a jackpot draw conducted in collaboration with the United Nations Framework Convention on Nations (UNFCCC). The email states that the recipient has won €4,350,000 and urges them to contact a foreign representative named Miguel Serrano from ZOHOLE ABOGADOS S.L. ESPAÑA.
The message provides a fictitious deadline of February 16, 2024 (it might vary) and emphasizes the urgency of claiming the supposed winnings. It includes a form requesting personal information such as name, address, nationality, occupation, date of birth, contact numbers, and email. Additionally, it presents options for payment choices – either bank transfer or bank check – and requests the recipient's signature and banking details.
The email provides contact details for Miguel Serrano and encourages recipients to reply to the email or visit a specified website for verification. Also, it contains an attachment - an image containing the same instructions.
Once the victim responds to the email or contacts the provided representative, the scammers may engage in identity theft, financial fraud, or other malicious activities. It seems to be a classic example of an advance-fee fraud scheme, where the ultimate goal is to extract money or valuable information from the unsuspecting recipient under the guise of a fake lottery win.
| Name | LOTERIA NAVIDAD 2023 Email Scam |
| Threat Type | Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud |
| Fake Claim | The recipient has won €4,350,000 in a lottery |
| Attached File | GLÜCKWUNSCH.jpg |
| Disguise | Letter from a representative named Miguel Serrano |
| Symptoms | Unauthorized online purchases, changed online account passwords, identity theft, illegal access of the computer. |
| Distribution methods | Deceptive emails, rogue online pop-up ads, search engine poisoning techniques, misspelled domains. |
| Damage | Loss of sensitive private information, monetary loss, identity theft. |
| Malware Removal (Windows) | To eliminate possible malware infections, scan your computer with legitimate antivirus software. Our security researchers recommend using Combo Cleaner. |
Similar scam emails in general
Scams of this type often involve unsolicited emails claiming unexpected windfalls or prizes, creating a sense of urgency to respond. These scams typically request personal and financial information or may involve upfront fees for claiming the alleged winnings. The use of official-sounding organizations, fabricated deadlines, and the promise of large sums of money are common tactics employed by scammers.
Recognizing these red flags and exercising caution can help individuals avoid falling victim to such fraudulent schemes. Some examples of similar emails are "Central Loteria Nacional Europa", "Purchase Order And Tax Invoice Email Scam", and "Fund Donation Email Scam". It is important to know that files (or links) in such emails can be used to deploy malware.
How do spam campaigns infect computers?
Individuals might encounter an email with an attachment that, upon opening, deploys malware onto the computer. This attachment may be camouflaged as a document (e.g., invoice), image, or another file.
In an alternative prevalent approach, phishing emails feature links that, upon being clicked, lead users to deceptive websites hosting malicious files or programs. Either way, threat actors need recipients to interact with the content of their emails to distribute malware.
How to avoid installation of malware?
Exercise caution by refraining from opening attachments or clicking on suspicious links in emails, particularly those from unfamiliar addresses. Obtain software and files exclusively from official and reputable sources, such as recognized websites and app stores. Avoid downloading cracked or pirated software, as it may harbor malware. Exercise skepticism toward ads and pop-ups on dubious web pages.
Maintain the security of your system by regularly updating operating systems, software applications, and antivirus programs to address vulnerabilities. Install and routinely update reputable antivirus and anti-malware software to identify and eliminate potential threats, contributing to a more secure digital environment.
If you have already opened malicious attachments, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate infiltrated malware.
The appearance of the "LOTERIA NAVIDAD 2023" email (GIF):
Text presented in the "LOTERIA NAVIDAD 2023" email letter:
Subject: DRINGENDE AUFMERKSAMKEIT
LOTERIA NAVIDAD 2023
Büro : Calle Alejandro X11 18,
28145 Madrid, España.
Revitalisierung und Entschädigung.Lieber Gewinner,
Wir freuen uns, Ihnen zu Ihrem Gewinn bei den Jackpot-Ziehungen zu gratulieren, die in Zusammenarbeit mit dem Rahmenübereinkommen der Vereinten Nationen über Nationen (UNFCCC) durch Computerumfragen von über 3,5 Millionen Internetbenutzer-E-Mail-IDs durchgeführt wurden.Nach der Übung während der Prüfung wurde festgestellt, dass Sie Ihre Gewinne noch nicht eingelöst hatten. Aus unserer Entdeckung haben Sie €4.350.000 (Vier Millionen, Dreihundertfünfzigtausend Euro) gewonnen.
Das Computer-E-Mail-Voting wird von multinationalen Konzernen im Rahmen ihrer sozialen Verantwortung gegenüber den Bürgern der Gemeinden, in denen sie tätig sind, gefördert und gesponsert. Ihr Jackpot fällt in die europäische Vertretung in Spanien, wie im gespielten Coupon angegeben, und Ihr Preis von €4.350.000 wird Ihnen von der regionalen Niederlassung in Spanien mitgeteilt.
Der Antrag sollte vor dem 16-02-2024 gestellt werden, sonst würde das Geld wieder angelegt.
Bitte wenden Sie sich an Ihren Auslandsvertreter (MIGUEL SERRANO) von ZOHOLE ABOGADOS S.L. ESPAÑA, Telefon: 34 612 223 813, E-Mail: miguelserrano4@gmx.com um die sofortige abwicklung Ihres gewinns zu veranlassen.
NACHNAME:----------------------------------------- VORNAME:-------------------------------------
ADRESSE:------------------------------------------------------------- BETRAG GEWONNEN:----------
STAATSANGEHÖRIGKEIT:---------------------- POSTLEITZAHL:----------------------- STADT:----------
BERUF:------------------------------- GEBURTSDATUM:--------------------------- SEX:--------------
MOBILTELEFON:---------------------------- HAUS-/BÜROTELEFON:--------------------------- FAX:------
E-MAIL-KONTAKT:----------------------------------------------------------------------
ZAHLUNGSWAHL ( a ) BANK ÜBERWEISUNG ( b ) BANK SCHECK
WENN GEWINN DURCH ÜBERWEISUNG ERWÜNSCHT WIRD, IST FOLGENDES BITTE KOMPLETT AUSZUFÜLLENBANK NAME--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
KONTONUMMER:----------------------------------------------- IBAN-NUMMER:-----------------------
ADDRESSE:----------------------------------STADT:----------------- POSTLEITZAHL:---------------
UNTERSCHRIFT--------------------------------------------- DATUM:--------------------------------
Bitte geben Sie immer Ihre Chargennummer und die Referenznummer an, um Ihre datei zu finden.
BEARBEITUNGSNUMMER: AN/EL/852024/DE/ESP.
LOS-NUMMER: YNA/QLE727/DET/24.
Herzlichen Glückwunsch noch einmal zu Ihrem Gewinn!!!
IGNACIO RUIZ GIMENEZ.
Online-Koordinator.Bitte antworten Sie auf diese E-Mail: miguelserrano4@gmx.com
Hinweis: Für die ordnungsgemäße Überprüfung ist eine Kopie Ihres Personalausweises erforderlich.
Es ist möglich, auf unserer WEBSITE zu bestätigen: hxxp://www.laloterianavidad.com/comprobar-loteria-navidad/
Screenshot of the attached image ("GLÜCKWUNSCH.jpg"):
Instant automatic malware removal:
Manual threat removal might be a lengthy and complicated process that requires advanced IT skills. Combo Cleaner is a professional automatic malware removal tool that is recommended to get rid of malware. Download it by clicking the button below:
▼ DOWNLOAD Combo Cleaner
By downloading any software listed on this website you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. To use full-featured product, you have to purchase a license for Combo Cleaner. 7 days free trial available. Combo Cleaner is owned and operated by Rcs Lt, the parent company of PCRisk.com read more.
Quick menu:
- What is LOTERIA NAVIDAD 2023 lottery scam?
- Types of malicious emails.
- How to spot a malicious email?
- What to do if you fell for an email scam?
Types of malicious emails:
Phishing Emails
Most commonly, cybercriminals use deceptive emails to trick Internet users into giving away their sensitive private information, for example, login information for various online services, email accounts, or online banking information.
Such attacks are called phishing. In a phishing attack, cybercriminals usually send an email message with some popular service logo (for example, Microsoft, DHL, Amazon, Netflix), create urgency (wrong shipping address, expired password, etc.), and place a link which they hope their potential victims will click on.
After clicking the link presented in such email message, victims are redirected to a fake website that looks identical or extremely similar to the original one. Victims are then asked to enter their password, credit card details, or some other information that gets stolen by cybercriminals.
Emails with Malicious Attachments
Another popular attack vector is email spam with malicious attachments that infect users' computers with malware. Malicious attachments usually carry trojans that are capable of stealing passwords, banking information, and other sensitive information.
In such attacks, cybercriminals' main goal is to trick their potential victims into opening an infected email attachment. To achieve this goal, email messages usually talk about recently received invoices, faxes, or voice messages.
If a potential victim falls for the lure and opens the attachment, their computers get infected, and cybercriminals can collect a lot of sensitive information.
While it's a more complicated method to steal personal information (spam filters and antivirus programs usually detect such attempts), if successful, cybercriminals can get a much wider array of data and can collect information for a long period of time.
Sextortion Emails
This is a type of phishing. In this case, users receive an email claiming that a cybercriminal could access the webcam of the potential victim and has a video recording of one's masturbation.
To get rid of the video, victims are asked to pay a ransom (usually using Bitcoin or another cryptocurrency). Nevertheless, all of these claims are false - users who receive such emails should ignore and delete them.
How to spot a malicious email?
While cyber criminals try to make their lure emails look trustworthy, here are some things that you should look for when trying to spot a phishing email:
- Check the sender's ("from") email address: Hover your mouse over the "from" address and check if it's legitimate. For example, if you received an email from Microsoft, be sure to check if the email address is @microsoft.com and not something suspicious like @m1crosoft.com, @microsfot.com, @account-security-noreply.com, etc.
- Check for generic greetings: If the greeting in the email is "Dear user", "Dear @youremail.com", "Dear valued customer", this should raise suspiciousness. Most commonly, companies call you by your name. Lack of this information could signal a phishing attempt.
- Check the links in the email: Hover your mouse over the link presented in the email, if the link that appears seems suspicious, don't click it. For example, if you received an email from Microsoft and the link in the email shows that it will go to firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0... you shouldn't trust it. It's best not to click any links in the emails but to visit the company website that sent you the email in the first place.
- Don't blindly trust email attachments: Most commonly, legitimate companies will ask you to log in to their website and to view any documents there; if you received an email with an attachment, it's a good idea to scan it with an antivirus application. Infected email attachments are a common attack vector used by cybercriminals.
To minimise the risk of opening phishing and malicious emails we recommend using Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows.
Example of a spam email:
What to do if you fell for an email scam?
- If you clicked on a link in a phishing email and entered your password - be sure to change your password as soon as possible. Usually, cybercriminals collect stolen credentials and then sell them to other groups that use them for malicious purposes. If you change your password in a timely manner, there's a chance that criminals won't have enough time to do any damage.
- If you entered your credit card information - contact your bank as soon as possible and explain the situation. There's a good chance that you will need to cancel your compromised credit card and get a new one.
- If you see any signs of identity theft - you should immediately contact the Federal Trade Commission. This institution will collect information about your situation and create a personal recovery plan.
- If you opened a malicious attachment - your computer is probably infected, you should scan it with a reputable antivirus application. For this purpose, we recommend using Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows.
- Help other Internet users - report phishing emails to Anti-Phishing Working Group, FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center, National Fraud Information Center and U.S. Department of Justice.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Why did I receive this email?
Scammers dispatch identical letters to thousands of individuals to deceive someone through their scam. These spam emails lack personalization and are disseminated on a large scale.
I have provided my personal information when tricked by this email, what should I do?
Report the scam to your local authorities and appropriate online fraud reporting platforms, furnishing them with details regarding the email and the shared information. If financial information was divulged, contact your bank as soon as possible.
I have downloaded and opened a file attached to this email, is my computer infected?
The file attached to this email is not malicious. Nevertheless, it is important to be aware that cybercriminals may attach malicious files or include harmful links in their emails.
I have read the email but did not open the attachment, is my computer infected?
No, your computer is uninfected if you have only read the email without opening the attachment.
Will Combo Cleaner remove malware infections that were present in email attachment?
Combo Cleaner can identify and eliminate nearly all recognized forms of malware. It is important to emphasize that sophisticated malware may conceal itself deeply within the system, underscoring the importance of performing a comprehensive system scan for effective detection and removal.
Outstanding!
▼ Show Discussion