Received an email from ‘Melania Trump’ offering $20M? It’s a scam. See the full message, red flags, and how to protect yourself from this fraud
🚨 The Scam Email in Full
For SEO and documentation purposes, here is the exact scam email received:
ReplyTo: [email protected] From: MRS. MELANIA TRUMP [email protected]
Sent: 02 May 2025 12:29
Subject: FROM MRS. MELANIA TRUMP,
How are you today?
I am Mrs. Melania Trump and I am written to inform you about your Bank Cheque Draft brought by the United Embassy from the government of Republic of Uganda in the white house Washington DC which contains the sum of $20.000.000 millions us dollars credited from the bank of America, the delivery of your funds has been mandated to be deliver to your address as soon as you get back to me with your home address and your cell phone number.
Bear in mind that I have taking my time to be in charge of your funds as instructed by my husband to ensure that you received your funds successfully from the white house to reduce the economy and I’m the only one that has your funds in regard to my husband Mr. Donald Trump and you will have to pay the sum of $70.00 only before your Bank Cheque Draft will deliver to you on Saturday, the reason why the fee is required is to have your funds clearance paper from the origin of the funds to avoid any harassment from the authority and you are also expecting to be announce as winner of the said amount as soon as your fund is delivered to you.
So you are urgent advised to get back to me with your home address and also the payment information today for immediate effect of your delivery. Note that the $70 is the only fee and final payment you have my assurance.
However, according to our agreement with the originated Republic of Uganda, all our communications should be on email for record purpose so follow my instruction accordingly, even if you don’t have the $70 try to borrow it and send it immediately because this is your life opportunity and I don’t want you to lose the chance any more.
Please I will advice you to urgent make the payment this morning via western union or money gram money transfer OR Purchase Gift Card like an Apple Gift card OR Steam Wallet to the listed cashier information as instructed you by the originated authority. I will look forward to received your email today with the payment to enable the origin secure the required clearance papers required at White House Uganda to deliver your funds. Note that it will take only 14hrs to deliver your Bank Cheque Draft in receipt of the $70 payment.
Please find the payment data below to send the $70 via Ria Money transfer or MoneyGram.OR you can Purchase Gift Card like an Apple Gift card OR Steam Wallet $70 USD.
Receivers Name:
Country: Uganda
City: Kampala
Address: Kampala market road Uganda
SENDERS NAME:
AMOUNT: $70 USD
MTCN reference number…………
Sender Name………..
Sender’s Telephone……
Sender’s Address……..
I look forward to your respond to your email with the payment today.
Regards
Mrs. Melania Trump
The White House
(Official Residence of the President of the US)
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington DC 20500 USA
🔍 Let’s Break Down the Red Flags
This scam email is an example of a classic advanced fee fraud, more commonly known as a 419 scam. Here are some of the key signs that expose it:
1. Suspicious Sender Address
[email protected]is a domain from a Thai educational institution, not a U.S. government domain. The real White House email addresses end in .gov, like@whitehouse.gov.
2. Poor Grammar and Spelling
- Phrases like “I am written to inform you,” and “I have taking my time” are clear indicators that the writer isn’t a native English speaker or professional. Official correspondence from high-ranking individuals would be carefully written.
3. Unrealistic Offer
- The email promises $20,000,000 — an absurd amount of money for doing nothing other than replying. The idea of Melania Trump personally overseeing your funds is completely implausible.
4. Payment Required to Receive Money
- Scams like this always require you to pay a small “release fee” (in this case, $70) before getting the supposed large sum. This is the central con of the scam — you’ll never see the money, and if you pay once, they will likely ask again and again.
5. Gift Cards as Payment
- Legitimate organizations never request payment via Apple Gift Cards, Steam Wallets, or Western Union. These are anonymous and untraceable, which is exactly why scammers prefer them.
6. Incoherent Story
- The reference to White House Uganda (which doesn’t exist), involvement from the Republic of Uganda, Bank of America, and a random $70 fee is a nonsensical mix. These elements are intentionally confusing to distract from the scam itself.
🧠 Why Do Scammers Use Public Figures Like Melania Trump?
Using a recognizable name like Melania Trump is a psychological trick. Scammers hope that:
- The familiarity will make you feel the message is important.
- You’ll hesitate to question something that appears “official.”
- You’ll react emotionally to the chance of winning a large sum of money.
But no first lady, current or former, is involved in distributing cash to strangers via Gmail or Yahoo.
🛡️ How to Stay Safe from Email Scams
✅ Never Send Money or Gift Cards
If an email asks for money to receive money, it’s a scam. No legitimate entity operates this way.
✅ Check the Sender’s Email Domain
Look for official email domains like .gov, .edu, or trusted business domains. Free webmail (like Gmail, Yahoo, or foreign addresses) is a huge red flag.
✅ Ignore and Report
- Do not reply. Don’t click on any links or download any attachments.
- Report phishing emails to your email provider.
- In the U.S., forward scam emails to [email protected] and [email protected].
✅ Use Spam Filters and Security Tools
Modern email providers have tools to filter out known scams. Make sure your spam filters are enabled, and consider using security add-ons.
✅ Educate Others
Scammers often target the elderly or those unfamiliar with internet fraud. Share posts like this one to help others stay informed and protected.
🔎 Real-Life Consequences of Falling for Email Scams
Unfortunately, many people do fall for scams like the Melania Trump email. Victims may:
- Lose money — sometimes thousands of dollars over time.
- Have their personal details stolen and sold on the dark web.
- Become targets for future scams once labeled as “responders.”
🗂️ Keywords Associated with This Scam
To help others find this post, here are some common keywords linked to this type of fraud:
- Melania Trump email scam
- $20 million check scam
- White House Uganda scam
- Apple gift card email scam
- 419 scam example
- Western Union payment scam
- Email from Melania Trump fake
- bank cheque draft scam
- advance fee fraud email
🧾 What Should You Do If You’ve Already Paid?
If you’ve already sent money or personal information in response to this email:
- Stop All Communication with the scammer immediately.
- Report the Incident to your local police and fraud authority.
- In the U.S., file a report with the FTC (www.reportfraud.ftc.gov).
- In the UK, report to Action Fraud.
- Contact Your Bank if you shared financial details.
- Scan Your Device for malware or phishing tools.
✋ Conclusion: Trust Your Instincts
Scams like the Mrs. Melania Trump Bank Cheque Draft email are laughably fake — but also extremely dangerous if not recognized in time. The best defense is awareness. Trust your gut, think critically, and remember the golden rule:
If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
Help spread awareness by sharing this post and letting others know about the tactics these fraudsters use. The more people who know the signs, the fewer people these scammers can exploit.