Warning: Fake Warren Buffett “$805,000 Donation” Scam Is Circulating – Do Not ReplyA sophisticated advance-fee fraud is currently making the rounds in inboxes worldwide. Scammers are impersonating Warren Edward Buffett, the chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, claiming they have randomly selected your email address to receive a large charitable donation of USD 805,000.The Scam Email You Might Receive.
The message typically begins with:R-e-f N-o: WBCF/XGM/01015/0026
Your e-mail a d d r e s s was chosen at random during an internet search to receive USD-805,000.00 from me, the chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway. If you are i n t e r e s t e d, please respond promptly via e-mail :{buffettedward05@onionmail.org} …
It ends with “Congratulations!!” and is signed “Warren Edward Buffett.”If you reply, you will soon receive a follow-up from an address that looks like Mr E d w a r d dea.s@fajarmasmurni.com (mailto:dea.s@fajarmasmurni.com).
This address belongs to a legitimate Indonesian company (PT Fajar Mas Murni), but scammers are abusing or spoofing it.Why This Is 100% FakeReal billionaires and legitimate foundations do not randomly pick strangers via internet searches and offer them hundreds of thousands of dollars through private Tor email addresses (onionmail.org).
Warren Buffett’s actual philanthropy is conducted through well-known, transparent channels — primarily the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation — not unsolicited emails.
The spaced-out formatting (“R-e-f N-o”, “a d d r e s s”, “i n t e r e s t e d”) is a deliberate trick to bypass spam filters.
The use of a .onionmail address and a hijacked corporate domain are classic red flags used by advance-fee scammers.
This exact scam (including the reference number WBCF/XGM/01015/0026) has already been reported and documented on scam-tracking communities such as ScamSurvivors.com since at least February 2026.How the Scam Progresses You reply expressing interest.
The scammer (posing as “Mr. Edward” or an assistant) builds trust and sends fake official-looking documents.
They eventually demand “fees” — for taxes, processing, legal costs, wire transfers, or “anti-money laundering” compliance.
Victims who pay are asked for even more money, or their personal and banking details are stolen. The promised donation never arrives.
Protect Yourself and Others.
Never reply to these emails — not even to say “no thank you.”
Delete them immediately and mark as spam.
Do not click any links or open attachments.
If you have already replied or shared any information, monitor your bank accounts, and consider contacting your bank or a cybersecurity professional.
Forward suspicious emails to your email provider’s abuse team and report them to authorities:
United States: reportfraud.ftc.gov
Your local consumer protection agency or cybercrime unit
A Note to Everyone: Scammers love impersonating trusted figures like Warren Buffett because his name carries instant credibility. Similar fake donation scams have been running for years using his name, as well as other celebrities and philanthropists.
Rule of thumb: If you didn’t enter a contest or apply for a grant, and someone you don’t know offers you a large sum of money out of the blue — especially if they ask you to pay any money upfront — it is a scam.Real charitable donations do not require you to pay fees to receive them.Stay vigilant, warn your family and friends, and help starve these scammers of victims by sharing this information. If you receive this (or a similar) email, the safest response is complete silence.Delete. Report. Move on.Stay safe online.
