419 scam: "Your $38,000,000.00 will be seized on 6th of December." <smnuchin709@gmail.com> Your Funds will be seized on 20th of December.

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"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:
- "transfer cost" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "million dollars" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "deadline" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.

Fraud email example:

From: "Your $38,000,000.00 will be seized on 6th of December." <smnuchin709@gmail.com>
Reply-To: wraychristopher976@gmail.com
Date: Wed, 15 Dec 2021 23:36:22 -0800
Subject: Your Funds will be seized on 20th of December.

FBI Criminal Cyber Department.
936 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 21545, United States.

Attention,
I'm writing you this email based on a report we got from the Wells Fargo
Bank California branch regarding a total sum of $38.000.000.00 Funds which
is deposited into the Wells Fargo Bank to be paid to you.
In the email we received from the Bank, it states that if you have failed
to claim the funds. The CEO of Wells Fargo Bank Mr. Charles W. Scarf made
this report to us so that we shouldn't accuse him or the Bank of
embezzlement or related cases when your funds will be seized.
The $38.000.000.00 was verified and it is legally approved on your name,
all you have to do is to resubmit your full details including your Bank
Information and contact the bank today or tomorrow for your payment
immediately and please inform us as soon as you receive the outstanding
payment of $38.000.000.00.
The US Federal Bureau of Investigation F.B.I certified that the sum of
$38.000.000.00 is real after proper scrutiny was made on the source of the
Funds.The Management of Wells Fargo Bank has charged you $38 for the total
transfer cost of your funds as it was explained that $1 is the cost for
transfer 1 Million Dollars that $1*38 which equals it to US$38 for the
US$38 Million Dollars and it is mandatory, you have pay it immediately or
so that you can receive your funds before the deadline
because every unclaimed funds will be seized by 20th of December, it means
that no payment will be prolonged to 2022.

For additional information about this message, please respond back
immediately so that I will give you the Wells Fargo Bank email address.
Remember, do NOT disclose your Bank Account details, login credentials or
card details and also avoid clicking suspicious links in your email or text
messages.
If you receive any suspicious email claiming to be from us or claiming to
be from any Bank please try and forward it to us because we are tracking
down every scam email as soon as it forwarded to us.

Thank you, I look forward to hearing the great news that you have finally
received your Funds.

Christopher A. Wray

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam