419 scam: "Barrister Williams Chambers & Law Firm"<williamssaraki1001@gazeta.pl> Please who is John Wheeler to you?

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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:
- ",500,000" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "00,000.00" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "nigeria national petroleum corporation" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
- "abuja" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "certified bank draft" (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash. If it's a lottery prize, remember that real lotteries do not pay large prizes by check. They wire the money directly to your bank account and you do not pay for that. Many scammers promise a large check only in order to then demand payment of courier fees for a fake courier service. )
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.

Fraud email example:

From: "Barrister Williams Chambers & Law Firm" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <williams_saraki1001@gazeta.pl>
Date: Sat, 23 Apr 2011 19:46:56 -0400
Subject: Please who is John Wheeler to you?

Barrister Williams Saraki Law Firm
Plot 2186, Ibrahim Babangida Way, Zone 4,
Wuse District Abuja,
Nigeria

Attention Beneficiary,

Complement of the day, I hope to meet you well and in good condition of life, my name is Barrister Williams Saraki, a Lawyer to late Mr. George W. Wilson, a contractor with the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporations before his death. My humble purpose of contacting you is to inform you of an inheritance payment he has left on your name which is totaling $10,500,000.00millionusd paid as a certified bank draft after his death and it is now in your favor as his next of kin, this is because my client has signed and left with me an attestation letter that makes you his next of kin but while in effort to get in torch with you, there came this man called John Wheeler who came on your behalf with a pretense that you are sick and incapacitated to make claim of the payment.

Furthermore, he said you gave him the right of ownership to claim the money as your next of kin but for transparency of services to mankind, I now write to know if this is true or if otherwise then get back immediately with a confirmation of your contact detail which is your full name, address and your personal phone number as I have now decided to send the certified bank draft (the payment) through FedEx delivery company to you but it must be on confirmation of your contact information as stated above.

This is the only way to alter this claim from John Wheeler but if you fail to disclaim the above and to confirm your address then it will be assumed that you are incapacitated or you really have decline the payment ($10.500.000.00usd) while I will have no option than to pay the money to him.

I hope to hear very soon from you as this is urgent and important. Please reconfirm your contact detail and including your phone number.

Yours truly,

Barr Williams Saraki.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam