419 scam: "Richard Wahl Foundation" <joubert@bard.eu.com> "An Opportunity to Make a Positive Impact Together"

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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:
- "insurance fee " (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. )
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
- rachels_w61@yahoo.com (Yahoo; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: "Richard Wahl Foundation" <joubert@bard.eu.com>
Reply-To: williamerachels@gmail.com
Date: Sat, 04 Nov 2023 12:24:21 -0700
Subject: "An Opportunity to Make a Positive Impact Together"

Dear [Email Owner],

I'm Richard Wahl, the lucky winner of a $533 million Mega Millions Jackpot in New Jersey a few years back. I've been supporting charities around the world. Now, I want to help individuals during tough times.

You're one of the people chosen to receive a $780,000 donation from the Richard Wahl Foundation's COVID-19 Financial Aid Program, aimed at helping emerging businesses. You can verify my winnings on YouTube here: [YouTube Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tne02ExNDrw].

If you choose to accept this donation, reply with the DONATION CODE. Contact my assistant, Mr. William Rachels, at rachels_w61@yahoo.com. There's a $280 insurance fee to release the funds, but we'll help you with the transfer. Provide Mr. Rachels with your name and address to start the process.

DONATION CODE: [6289298]

Assistant's Details:
Name: Mr. William Rachels
Email: rachels_w61@yahoo.com

I might not check my email often, so forward this to Mr. Rachels for a quick response. Thank you for considering this opportunity. I hope it brings happiness to you and your loved ones.

Best wishes,
Richard Wahl
Founder, Richard Wahl Foundation

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam