Is this a junk email? and if so, what harm could it do?

Question

Sequel to your non response of our earlier letter to you on behalf of the Trustees & Executors to the Will of our late client.I wish to notify you that you were listed as a beneficiary to the sum of £5,500,000.00GBP(Five million Five Hundred Thousand British Pounds).We therefore reckoned that you can receive this funds as you are qualified by your name identity.We request that you kindly fwd to us your immediate response. Barrister P. Williams.

that is what the email says, now my question is, why is someone taking their time to write this if its just junk mail? and what can they do with it? like there has to be a reason why someone writes spam liek that right?

or is it real....XD i wish

and the thing is, the email was from [e-mail]

and if you go here http://www.purdue.edu/

its a real university website. so idk someone help please

Answer 1

MH's answer is spot-on.  To add a little more to it, the reason people write spam/scam e-mails like the one you got is because they actually can make money at it.  It costs next to nothing for them to send their scam to thousands of e-mail addresses (or even tens of thousands), so even if 99.99% of the recipients delete the mail and don't respond, the scammers will make money even if they only catch a few "suckers" in each batch of e-mails.

In the meantime, just like MH said, the best policy for e-mails like that one is "delete it and forget it," unless you feel inclined to report them to a law enforcement authority.

Answer 2

university proffessionals can be cheats also. if you inherit money, you will most likely be contacted by some means other than email. If you dont know where the money comes from, its not coming. people do things like this, keep communicating with you, try eventually to get bank information from you, and then bam, your moneys gone, that email is no longer there, and you are sol. they arent going to just be able to get your email. they would easier get your phone number, name, and other information. they are sending this email to thousands of people hoping someone will be ignorant enough to buy. (imnot calling you ignorant if thats what it sounds like).

Answer 3

It's some sort of scam, they want your information to bilk you.

Ever heard of that saying "if it's too good to be true..."??

Answer 4

Firstly, the "sender" is probably spoofed (changed).  This sort of mail is either trying to get your bank details to get your money or steal your identity, or the mail is trying to use you to launder money, which could end you up in prison.  Either way, don't get involved, and delete the message.  Also, don't reply to it as this will confirm that your e-mail address is in use and will probably result in you getting even more spam.  You may also want to report this mail to your local/country law-enforcement authorities, look around on your government's website to see if they pursue these messages.