Complaint Review: Benson Oju & Co. Chambers;Barr. Benson Oju; Ademola Williams; Okoroji Victor - Marina Lagos Other

April 2004,

I was contacted via internet by a Barrister Benson Oju and sent the following message:

BENSON OJU CHAMBERS

LEGAL PRACTITIONERS & SOLICITORS

41 MARINE RD. IKEJA-LAGOS

NIGERIA

Dear Angee Fielder,

Before I start,I must first Apologise for this unsolicited mail to you.I am aware that this is certainly an unconventional approach to starting a relationship but as time goes on you will realize the need for my action.

My name is Barrister, a Solicitor and the personal Attorney to Mr. John Fielder,a National of your country, who worked with an Oil company in Nigeria.Here in after referred to as my Client. On the 21st of April 2000, my client,his wife and their three children were involved in a Ghastly motor accident along Sagamu Express road. My Client and his entire family unfortunately lost their lives in the accident.

Since then I have made several enquiries to your Embassy to locate any of my Client's extended relatives which has proved abortive. After these several unsuccessful attempts,I decided to use his last name through the Internet to Locate any member of his family hence the need to contact you.

My main reason for contacting you is to assist me in repatriating the money and properties left behind by my Client before they are confiscated or declared unservicable by the bank where they are deposited and lodged.Particularly the Union Bank PLC where the deceased has a fixed sum of Nine Million United States Dollars.The said bank has issued me a final notice to provide the next of kin of my Client or they will be left with no other choice than to confiscate his funds.

Since I have been unsuccessful in locating my clients relatives for the past two years I seek your consent to present you as the next of kin of my client,going by the fact that both of you has the same last name so that the said fund as stated above i.e the sum of Nine million United States Dollars can be paid to you instead of leaving for it for Union Bank Plc,we can take part of it and leave the rest for Charity.

I have all necessary legal documents that can be used to back up any claim we may make.All I require is your honest co-operation to enable us see this arrangement through.

I guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law.Please reply by this email address above.

Finally kindly give me your confidential Phone and fax numbers so that I can communicate with you easily.

Best regards,

Barrister

After the initial contact, I replied to the message. They faxed me documentation from the "Union Bank of Nigeria, PLC" which said that i needed to present a deposit certificate, death certificate of the deceased, affidavit of claim, and change of ownership. Then Barr. Benson Oju requested that I send him at least $700-$1500 US in order to obtain the death certificate from the hospital. Which is crazy because a US citizen or national's death certificate would be available to family by calling the American Embassy.

So I began doing a little research and came across a site: www.internetfraud.com/fraudforum/DCFORUMIDA/403.htmk#1#1, which had letters on it identical to the one that the supposed "Barrister" sent me.

a

arcadia, California
U.S.A.