Advance-Fee Scams in Spain
Classic 419-style fraud reaches Spanish residents through email and WhatsApp, promising inheritances, lottery winnings or business commissions to solicit advance fees.
Part of: Advance Fee Scams
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
Advance-fee fraud — 'estafa del anticipo' — remains a persistent threat for Spanish residents despite broad public awareness. Criminals send emails and WhatsApp messages in fluent Spanish, claiming to represent deceased millionaires, stranded lottery prizes or international business opportunities requiring a trusted Spanish intermediary.
Spain's Oficina de Seguridad del Internauta (OSI) receives thousands of reports of advance-fee fraud annually. The scam exploits optimism and financial need, with victims sometimes investing cumulative amounts far exceeding their original savings before recognising the fraud.
How this scam works on Spain
A typical email claims to come from a Spanish-speaking notary or lawyer acting for a deceased client — often described as a Spanish expatriate who died without heirs — and asks the recipient to act as next of kin to claim millions of euros. An advance fee is required to process inheritance paperwork through 'el juzgado' (the court).
In another common Spanish variant, victims receive a convincing notification claiming they have won the Spanish National Lottery or an 'EuroMillones' secondary prize. A fee is required to release the winnings before a deadline, creating urgency.
Once an initial fee is paid, the fraudster invents further obstacles — customs duties, anti-money-laundering audits, notarial translations — generating escalating fee demands.
Common red flags
- Notification of a lottery win you never entered or an unexpected inheritance
- Request to pay fees upfront to claim a prize or inheritance
- Correspondence from a personal email address rather than institutional domains
- Strict confidentiality requested — you must not tell family or friends
- Urgency: the offer expires in days if fees are not paid
- Each payment generates a new unforeseen obstacle requiring further payment
How to protect yourself
- Verify Spanish lottery wins directly at loteriasyapuestas.es — winners are always notified officially
- Consult a licensed Spanish notary for any inheritance claim
- Never wire money to a stranger regardless of how compelling the story sounds
- Talk to a trusted family member or financial adviser before sending any funds
- Forward suspicious emails to OSI at osi.es for investigation
How to report it
- OSI: osi.es — Spain's online fraud reporting tool
- Policía Nacional: denuncias.policia.es
- Guardia Civil: gdt.guardiacivil.es
Frequently asked questions
Has anyone in Spain actually received money from an advance-fee scheme?
No legitimate windfall is ever delivered through advance-fee requests. These schemes generate no returns for victims. All payments go directly to criminals who will invent further fees indefinitely.