419 scam: "Prof.John Williams"<johnisreal@outlook.com> VERY IMPORTANT NOTICE

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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:
- "clearance 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. )
- "stamp duty" (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. )
- "economic and financial crime commission" (This name is often mentioned in money recovery scams (re-scam): the real EFCC does not contact victims to offer to get their money back because that is near impossible. )
- "(efcc)" (This name is often mentioned in money recovery scams (re-scam): the real EFCC does not contact victims to offer to get their money back because that is near impossible. )
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.

Fraud email example:

From: "Prof.John Williams" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <johnwiliamx@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 8 Jun 2014 21:22:48 +0100
Subject: VERY IMPORTANT NOTICE

INTERNATIONAL FUNDS TRANSFER / AUDIT UNITS

UNITED NATIONS OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS SERVICES UNITED KINGDOM.

MONITORING UNIT, CONSULTING AND INVESTIGATIONS DIVISION.

From: Prof.John Williams

June 07 -2014

Attention

This is to inform you that i was sent on a special assignment by the United Nations secretary General Mr. Ban Ki-Moon, after series of complaint from the FBI and other Security agencies from Asia, Europe, South America ,Australia and the United States of America respectively, against the African countries, the government of Nigeria and the British Government for the high volume of scam activities going on in these two nations.

Right now, as directed by the secretary General Mr. Ban Ki-Moon. We are working in collaborations with the Nigerian Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) and have decided to waive away all your clearance fees/Charges and authorize the Government of Nigeria to effect your overdue payment worth USD $15.5 Million only into your account without any delay as approved and instructed by UNITED NATIONS. The only fee you will pay to receive your fund is your STAMP DUTY fee of USD$98 only.

Sincerely, you are a lucky person because I have just discovered that some top Nigerian and British Government Officials are interested in your fund and they are working in collaboration with One Mrs. Maija Bukal from Zagreb Croatia to frustrate you and thereafter divert your fund into her personal bank account in Croatia

I have a very short time to stay here in Africa, so I would like you to urgently respond to this message so that I will advise you on what to do so that you will receive your long awaiting payment.

I will send you the payment information upon your response.

Yours Sincerely,

Prof. John Williams

United Nations Under-Secretary-

General for Human rights.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam