419 scam: "Barr. John Williams"<johnwilliams@info.co.uk> CONTACT MR. ERIC BROWN

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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:

An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
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:
- "barr." (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
This email message is a "New Partner from Paraguay" scam.
This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
- +448713159418 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
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.
- mrericbrown1973@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Barr. John Williams" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <barristerjohncastro2@yahoo.com.hk>
Date: Sat, 4 Dec 2010 13:18:13 +0530
Subject: CONTACT MR. ERIC BROWN

My Good Friend,

Longest time, I hope all is well together with your family, if so glory be to God almighty. Well, I must Sorry to hear this news and understand that the fault is not from me I'm happy to inform you about my success in getting those funds transferred under the co-operation of a new partner from Singapore.

Presently i'm in Singapore, for futher investment projects with my own share of the total sum. meanwhile, I didn't forget your past efforts and attempts to assist me in transferring those funds despite that it failed us some how. Now contact my secretary in London his name is Mr. Eric Brown EMAIL;...(mrericbrown1973@yahoo.com) Telephone +44 871 315 9418.

Tell him to send you the total sum of ($1,000.000.00) which I kept for your compensation for all your past efforts and attempts to assist me previously.
I appreciated your efforts at that time,thank you very much. So feel free and get in touch with my secretary Mr. Eric Brown, and instruct him where to send the amount to you. Please do let me know immediately you receive it so that we can share the joy together after all the sufferness at that time.

At the moment, I'm very busy here in Singapore because of the investment projects which me and the new partner are having at hand, finally, remember that I have forwarded instruction to my secretary on your behalf to receive the money, so feel free to get in touch with Mr.Eric Brown, he will send the amount to you.

Thank you and may God Bless you.

Best Regards,
Barr. John Williams
Once again this is his email addres.{mrericbrown1973@yahoo.com} Telephone +44 871 315 9418.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam