Thanks for your email. This has not been a good weekend, my friend. I eventually managed to get someone to come round and fix my bread oven yesterday, but he charged an arm and a leg for having to come out at such short notice, and on a Sunday too. I didn’t have much choice in the matter though; if I didn’t get the oven fixed I’d be out of business in a week. I’ve already lost all of Saturday’s takings, and if people start to think that I’m unreliable, they’ll take their regular orders elsewhere.

I’ve just opened this morning’s post, and I’ve already had a letter from one regular customer, Mr Doku, to inform me that as I couldn’t provide him with his daily order of cakes on Saturday, he’ll be placing his order with one of my rivals from now on.

Actually, looking on the bright side, I won’t be too sorry to lose Mr Doku – or Sid to his friends – as a customer. A lot of my customers are set in their ways and order exactly the same thing, day in, day out, but Mr Doku was verging on having an obsessive-compulsive disorder. Each day he’d come in for nine cakes, all of them different, and he’d stand there in the shop, holding up the queue, insisting that I place the nine different cakes into the box in a particular order. He’d get very upset if I put a cake in the wrong place. He’s a very strange man, and no mistake.

But that’s by the by. The fact remains that if I lose many more orders like that, I’ll be in danger of going out of business.

The bad news is that now I’ve had to pay to have my bread oven repaired, I really don’t know where I’m going to find the money to pay for this death certificate we need. Even if I delay paying my creditors, I still won’t be able to come up with the money for another two or three weeks, because paying for the oven repair has left my bank account completely empty. I think I’m going to have to wait until I’ve taken enough money in the shop to pay for the death certificate: I just can’t see any other way of doing this.

Of course, I suppose there is always one way I could get my hands on the money this week... but no, I couldn’t do that. It just wouldn’t be right. I’d get into dreadful trouble if anyone found out. I just couldn’t...

Do you think that a delay of a couple of weeks will be OK, my friend? Short of doing something that I really don’t feel comfortable with, I can’t see any other way around this. Or do you think there’s any way you could raise the money at your end?

I’m dreadfully sorry for all this, my friend, but things just don’t seem to be going right for me at the moment.

Please get back to me as soon as you can and let me know what you think, my friend. Once again, I’m really very sorry.

Best regards,

Gilbert Murray

PS. On a brighter note, I ordered a new shop sign on Saturday morning. I asked the sign painter to paint it with that slogan that you liked so much. He’s not got much work on at the moment, so I’m expecting it to be delivered sometime later this week.

From: Dr Charles Ijeoma

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: Review and get back to me

Sent: Mon, 05 Dec 2023 06:50:32 -0800 (PST)

Dear Mr Gilbert Murray,

Thanks for your mail. I have considered all that is said with regards to the money for the death certificate procurement and I wonder why your bakery machine will have to develop fault at this time that we are desperately in need of money to service our transaction that is able to bring changes to our lives and that of our families.

Again, just after I got your mail I decided to dialogue with the attorney if we can find another means of securing the death certificate since the time you proposed to me to be able to provide the money will be too late having understood very well the urgency of this vital document and the role it has to play for the release of our fund by the African Union Development Bank.

Sir, The attorney advised that we deposit any amount ranging from $700-$100 (sic) respectively to enable him proceed to the agency in charge for the issuance of the said certificate for registration and according to the attorney it will take us additional one week to two weeks to secure the death certificate from the agency after our registration and the earlier we apply for it the better for us.

Moreso, having understood your point very well from your last mail I have no doubt in your capacity to raise this mobilisation fee in our attempt to encourage the attorney to swing into action in procuring the desired documents and at the end of the two weeks which we expect to receive the approval for the death certificate I believe you must have gained a lot of balance financially to transfer the complete amount to the lawyer before the document can be issued out.

Lastly, please review this money and get back to me in case we share the same view and please don’t even ask me to pay any cent because I am currently looking for a means to raise the money for the activation fee.

Looking forward to your urgent reply,

Dr Charles Ijeoma

From: Gilbert Murray

To: Dr Charles Ijeoma

Subject: I may be able to get hold of the money we need

Sent: Tue, 06 Dec 2023 09:16:41

Dear Dr Ijeoma,

Thanks for your email. I have to tell you, I didn’t get a wink of sleep last night. I was up all night, fretting and worrying over this issue of the money that Mr Williams needs to get hold of the late Mr Schranner’s death certificate. If only my bread oven hadn’t broken when it did, things would have been a lot easier for us.

I appreciate the fact that you’ve tried to negotiate with Mr Williams, and it was good to see that he thought we might be able to make some progress if I sent him some of the money now and the rest later. But I’ll be honest with you, Dr Ijeoma: this transaction means so much to me that I don’t want to do anything that might jeopardise it... and if delaying sending the money might jeopardise things, then I’d rather do whatever I can to get hold of all the money now. That’s why I’ve been lying awake all night, tossing and turning – and then doing some more tossing – going over things in my head and trying to work out if there is a way I can get hold of all the money Mr Williams needs.

Well my friend, I think I may have found a way. You see, the local businessmen of Gypping in the Marsh work together each autumn to raise money to buy Christmas presents for the children in the local orphanage, Saint Bunty’s. We’ve been doing it for over ten years, and the orphanage is so short of cash that if we didn’t do this, they wouldn’t be able to afford to buy any presents at all for the poor little orphans at Christmas.

Apparently the orphanage is especially short of cash this year, so we’ve been working harder than ever to raise money. For my part, I’ve been baking special “gingerbread orphans” this year and selling them alongside my usual gingerbread men, with all of the profits going towards the orphanage fund. Each little gingerbread orphan has its own little gingerbread crutch, and instead of the happy, smiling face that I paint onto my normal gingerbread men with icing, I give each little gingerbread orphan a very sad face, with a downturned mouth and with a few icing tears running down their little gingerbread cheeks – because, of course, they have no gingerbread parents.

I don’t mind telling you, Dr Ijeoma, that deciding to bake these gingerbread orphans this year was a stroke of genius. They’re selling like hot cakes – except that they’re actually cold – and I’ve managed to raise more money than ever for the orphanage this year.

Between us all, the local businesses have managed to raise almost £2,500 for the orphanage this year. That’s a record! That means we’ll be able to buy more presents than ever for the poor little orphans this year.

Now then, to get to the point, this year it’s been my turn to collect and look after the money until we spend it on Christmas presents, and I’ve got it stored in my safe in the cellar. As we’ve still got a few weeks between now and Christmas, I was thinking about taking the money I need to send to Mr Williams out of this fund.

But the thing is, my friend, I’m absolutely sure that the other businessmen wouldn’t approve of this at all. In fact if they found out about it, I could get into serious trouble for misappropriating charity funds. So before I’d be willing to do this, I’d need your absolute assurance – and a similar assurance from Mr Williams – that we’d be able to bring this transaction to a close before Christmas so that I can replace the money before anyone notices it’s gone missing.

If anything were to go wrong here, not only would I get into serious trouble, but the poor little orphans would have to go without Christmas presents this year, and that would never do.

What do you think, my friend? If you are 100% sure that we will be able to conclude this transaction in time for Christmas, and if you and Mr Williams can both send me your personal guarantee of this, then I’d be willing to dip into the money that we’ve raised for the orphanage and send Mr Williams the $3,750 he needs.

I hope I’ve found us a way around the problem of the money. Please get back to me as soon as you can, my friend, and let me know if you think it will work.

Best regards,

Gilbert Murray

From: Dr Charles Ijeoma

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: THANKS FOR YOUR ENCOURAGEMENT

Sent: Tue, 06 Dec 2023 02:09:42 -0800 (PST)

Dear Mr Gilbert Murray,

Thanks for your message and how about your family and business generally I am sure everything is fine.

I have received your mail and understood perfectly well the money you intend to raise through the orphanage’s trust fund kept under your custody and I want to assure you that once we are able to provide this fee required by the attorney to procure the death certificate that we are 100% sure to recover this fund from our bank by next week.

My dearest friend, I want you to see me as an aged man and the last thing I will do in my life is to deceive you if I am not sure that this will work out within the a shortest time we got before the Christmas.

Please understand that grey head they said is a sign of wisdom for an old man in my age and I want to reassure you that once you are able to take this decision and have this urgent need met between now and tomorrow we will have a different story to share all together because I believe by then we must have been sure of the actual date and time we will be expecting to receive this fund wired into your account by the bank.

Now without wasting time, I will advise that you go ahead and contact the attorney and ask him to give you his payment information based on Western System electronics transfer (sic) to enable you to transfer the much needed death certificate fee to him as fast as you can to enable him to receive the money the same time it is paid and continue with the procurement of the death certificate and please understand that the earlier we do this fast the better for us.

Lastly, I promise to contact the attorney immediately and ask him to write a reassurance letter to you immediately as per your request and enclose his payment details in the same mail to enable you to transfer the fee to him and let us conclude this transaction as quickly as possible so that we can receive the fund and spent part of it for the orphanage’s gift items.

Finally, since we are taking the money from the orphanage’s fund I suggest that we donate even if it is $20,000 only to the orphanage’s home the moment we receive our fund please take note of this and do not forget to remind me once we complete this transaction.

Good luck,

Dr Charles Ijeoma

From: Bernard Williams

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: BERNARD WILLIAMS AND CHAMBERS PAYMENT INFORMATION

Sent: Tue, 06 Dec 2023 06:18:51 -0500 (EST)

BERNARD WILLIAMS & CHAMBERS
LEGAL PRACTITIONERS & SOLICITORS
PLOT 4, GREEK ROAD
APAPA
LAGOS
NIGERIA

DATE: 6TH/12/2005

ATTN: MR GILBERT A MURRAY,

Sequel to the instruction received from your close friend and business associate and a client of these honourable chambers Dr Charles Ijeoma with regards to the fee requested for the procurement of late Mr Andreas Schranner’s death certificate procurement we hereby present herein the full payment information which is strictly on Western Union money transfer base of the option of our client Dr Charles Ijeoma.

Sir, having received the below payment details we advise that you go ahead with your payment to enable us to receive the money as urgent as possible so that we can proceed to the agency concern for the issuance of the said documents and revert to you with immediate effect as regards to the urgency of your request.

Sir, you are please advised to direct all payment via WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER with the following payment information:

BENEFICIARY: MR AUGUSTINE MOSINDI

ADDRESS: PLOT 4, GREEK ROAD, APAPA GRA

CITY: LAGOS

COUNTRY: NIGERIA

SECRET QUESTION (sic): WHITE?

ANSWER: BLACK

Above name person is a staff of this chamber and he is the chief accounting officer of our chambers charged with the responsibilities of our accounting department/receiving and making out payments from and to our clients.

This is all about our method of receiving payment from our foreign clients except otherwise for a very huge sums of money we prefer giving our bank account.

Lastly, in our attempt to encourage towards enhancing smooth transfer of this fee we got this information from our accounting department of which we hope it will improve and help your learning about the Western Union agent offices nearest to you.

And for further information about the Western Union agents in your area please go through the information below and revert to us.

Once you are through with your payment we advise that you send us the payment information as urgent as possible.

FOR FURTHER ENQUIRY YOU CAN CALL US ON +234-8033581268.

STILL AT YOUR SERVICE.

YOURS FAITHFULLY,

BARRISTER BERNARD WILLIAMS ESQ

PRINCIPAL, LEGAL PRACTITIONERS

Western Union agent locations/addresses and phone numbers:

CASH CONVERTERS, 332 HIGH STREET, LINCOLN, LINCOLNSHIRE, LN5 7DQ (+44 (0)152 576769).
EUROCHANGE, 294 HIGH STREET, LINCOLN, LINCOLNSHIRE, LN21AH (+44 (0)124 6557662).
GOING PLACES, 5 CORNHILL PAVEMENTS, LINCOLN, LINCOLNSHIRE, LN5 7HE (+44 (0)152 2512652).
LINCOLN CASH CENTRES, 373-374 HIGH STREET, LINCOLN, LINCOLNSHIRE, LN5 7RU.
THE MONEY SHOP, 27-28 SILVER STREET, LINCOLN, LINCOLNSHIRE, LN2 1EW (+44 (0)155 2542888).
THOMSON, 11 STONEBOW CENTRE, LINCOLN, LINCOLNSHIRE, LN2 1DY (+44 (0)152 2510666).
FIRST CHOICE TRAVEL, ASDA SUPERSTORE, CRAVEN WAY, LONGWELL GREEN, BRISTOL, BS15 7DY.

From: Gilbert Murray

To: Dr Charles Ijeoma

Subject: Are you sure that things will work out alright?

Sent: Tue, 06 Dec 2023 12:05:26

Dear Dr Ijeoma,

Thanks for your email. It’s not that I don’t trust you, my friend, but I can’t emphasise enough what a difficult decision this is for me. I know that I really shouldn’t use the money that we’ve collected for the orphanage for this purpose, and I’m very afraid of losing it if anything goes wrong... but I just can’t think of anything else to do.

You’ve given me your assurance that everything will go smoothly, so thank you for that. But I am still waiting for a similar assurance from Mr Williams. After all, he’s the man who’s going to be obtaining the death certificate and sorting things out for us. He’s just sent me an email that explains how I should send the money to him, but he hasn’t given me the assurance I require.

I trust that you can understand my caution, my friend: after all, my friends and associates have entrusted this money to me, so it’s not only the poor little orphans’ Christmas presents that are dependent upon this transaction working out; my personal reputation around the village is at stake as well. If anything were to go wrong... well, it just doesn’t bear thinking about.

Could you please get back onto Mr Williams and ask him to send me the assurance I need, my friend? As soon as I’ve received an assurance from him, I’ll make arrangements to transfer the money.

I am placing my trust in you, Dr Ijeoma. My trust and my reputation. Please don’t let me down.

Best regards,

Gilbert Murray

From: Bernard Williams

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: YOUR LEGAL SATISFACTION IS OUR DELIGHT

Sent: Tue, 06 Dec 2023 04:12:25 -0800 (PST)

BERNARD WILLIAMS & CHAMBERS
LEGAL PRACTITIONERS & SOLICITORS
PLOT 4, GREEK ROAD
APAPA
LAGOS
NIGERIA

DATE: 6TH/12/2005

ATTN: MR GILBERT A MURRAY,

Dear Sir,

Having presented our payment details to you with regards to the procurement of your late uncle’s death certificate and in the other hand we write to draw your attention with a view to encourage your faith on the transaction and understand that our chamber is charged with the responsibilities of ensuring that your late uncle’s fund is credited into your account in line with the rule of law under the stipulated period approved by the Federal High Court of Justice under this jurisdiction.

Sir, being knowledgeable on the rule of law and the injunction of the High Court it is well acceptable that African Union Development Bank hold the liability to make the deposit of this fund entrusted to you by the court as the only survival of the late interstate (sic) in line with the constitutional human right and allied matters of the Nigeria constitution chapter 8 section IV paragraph H3.

This section of the law interprets that African Union Development Bank under section IV demands that all her requirement is met before allowing the release of the fund into your account as the beneficiary and in paragraph H3 it was well understood that you maintain every legal right to apply for a suit to challenge the management of African Union Development Bank for any infringement on their part to deny you access to your fund if after meeting their requirements in line with section IV of the Nigeria constitution.

Having fully understood the following section of the law and the legal implications in case of failure in attempt of the African Union Development Bank to meet their obligation in transferring this fund assigned to you by the judiciary, we however advise that you have the legal backing of our chamber solidly behind you and we are total sure by our profession that your fund will be wired to your account on the condition that we provide the necessary requirement to meet condition of the payee bank.

Based on the forgoing analysis, we advise you reconsider further step and go ahead and make your payment direct to us without any form of prejudice and we reassure you of our chamber commitment to ensuring the urgent recovering of this fund into your designated bank account in United Kingdom within seven days working period.

ALWAYS AT YOUR SERVICE.

YOURS FAITHFULLY,

BARRISTER BERNARD WILLIAMS ESQ

PRINCIPAL, LEGAL PRACTITIONERS

From: Gilbert Murray

To: Bernard Williams

Subject: Are you absolutely sure about this?

Sent: Tue, 06 Dec 2023 13:04:18

Dear Mr Williams,

Thanks for your emails. Are you absolutely sure about this? Can you give me your categorical assurance that nothing will go wrong with this transaction?

I don’t know if Dr Ijeoma has told you, but I’m having to borrow the money that you need to get hold of this death certificate, and I could get into terrible trouble if anything goes wrong and I can’t pay the money back.

So are you 100% sure, Mr Williams? I can’t afford for there to be the slightest margin of error.

Best regards,

Gilbert Murray

From: Dr Charles Ijeoma

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: LET ME REASSURE AGAIN

Sent: Tue, 06 Dec 2023 08:30:33 -0800 (PST)

Dear Mr Gilbert Murray,

Thanks for your urgent reply.

I have received your mail with regards to the fee required for the payment of the death certificate and regarding the instruction you said that I should inform Barrister Bernard Williams I have just done exactly according how you have advised.

Please my friend, I want you to understand that I am a human with conscience too and I quite understood very well the circumstances surrounding the money you wish to pay for the procurement of the death certificate in an attempt to safe us from losing this fund and I am reassuring you that I will never let you down.

I can assure you 100% that once we are able to secure the death certificate our fund will be wired within one week and you will confirm the money as well in your account and I want you to trust me and consider all that I have told you because my word is my bond and I will not fail you by the special grace of God.

Lastly, I advise you go ahead and make the payment first thing tomorrow morning and send the payment information direct to the attorney and keep me posted and having understood very well the great importance of this money you intend to pay out from the orphanage’s treasury.

I promise to send down someone to supervise the attorney and compel him to carry out our request as fast as possible because I will not allow you to be disgraced or mocked by your associates please trust me.

Once again, thanks for your effort and I can assure you we will have a smooth transfer of this fund into your account and at last everyone will be happy.

Best regards,

Dr Charles Ijeoma

From: Bernard Williams

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: Be absolutely sure that we will deliver

Sent: Tue, 06 Dec 2023 08:51:35 -0800 (PST)

BERNARD WILLIAMS & CHAMBERS
LEGAL PRACTITIONERS & SOLICITORS
PLOT 4, GREEK ROAD
APAPA
LAGOS
NIGERIA

DATE: 6TH/12/2005

ATTN: MR GILBERT A MURRAY,

We respond in acknowledgement to your last instruction.

This is to serve to reassure you of our commitment to go extra miles in ensuring we encourage a smooth transfer of your late relative’s fund into your account within the shortest period of time we have in our disposal.

Sir, bearing in mind that we are reputable chambers holding our promises to our clients in high esteem we are solidly behind you and will leave no stone unturn to meet your desired goal towards ensuring your late uncle’s death certificate is procured and enforce the immediate realisation of your inheritance fund into your account within the shortest period ever.

Now, we give you our permission to go ahead and make the deposit in our favour and consider your transaction done.

STILL AT YOUR SERVICE.

YOURS FAITHFULLY,

BARRISTER BERNARD WILLIAMS ESQ

PRINCIPAL, LEGAL PRACTITIONERS

From: Gilbert Murray

To: Dr Charles Ijeoma; Bernard Williams

Subject: Thank you for your reassurance

Sent: Wed, 07 Dec 2023 09:04:57

Dear Dr Ijeoma/Mr Williams,

Thank you both for your emails and for your reassurance that nothing can possibly go wrong in this transaction.

I am now reasonably confident about the thought of taking the money out of the orphanage’s Christmas fund. As long as you are both 100% sure that I will be able to pay the money back into the fund before it is missed – and in good time to buy Christmas presents for all the poor little orphan boys and girls – I will look into making the payment today.

Mr Williams, could I please ask you to confirm exactly how much I need to send you and who I need to send the money to? How should I get the money to you? Should I pop a cheque into the post to your chambers, or would you prefer a postal order? Please let me know.

Best regards,

Gilbert Murray

From: Bernard Williams

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: Consider the payment via WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER

Sent: Wed, 07 Dec 2023 01:31:47 -0800 (PST)

BERNARD WILLIAMS & CHAMBERS
LEGAL PRACTITIONERS & SOLICITORS
PLOT 4, GREEK ROAD
APAPA
LAGOS
NIGERIA

DATE: 7TH/12/2005

ATTN: MR GILBERT A MURRAY

Dear Sir,

We appreciate the confidence you imposed on our chamber to deliver your service without any prejudice and we are greatly honoured.

In respect of the amount, we like to inform you that the fee for the procurement of the death certificate of late Mr Andreas Schranner is still at the same rate $3,750 only and this is exactly the amount we needed to receive from you in order to procure the document.

As for your method of payment, due to the urgent demand of this death certificate this chamber advises that you consider the undermentioned information for your payment with a view to enable us to apply for the immediate withdrawal of your payment the very moment it has been deposited in favour of this chamber to enable us to swing into action immediately.

For your information pay strictly based on this instruction.

Sir, you are please advised to direct all payment via WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER with the following payment information:

BENEFICIARY: MR AUGUSTINE MOSINDI

ADDRESS: PLOT 4, GREEK ROAD, APAPA GRA

CITY: LAGOS

COUNTRY: NIGERIA

SEGRET QUESTION (sic): WHITE?

ANSWER: BLACK

This is all about our method of receiving payment from our foreign clients except otherwise for a very huge sums of money we prefer giving our bank account.

And for further information about the Western Union agents in your area please go through the information below and revert to us.

Once you are through with your payment we advise that you send us the payment information as urgent as possible.

FOR FURTHER ENQUIRY YOU CAN CALL US ON +234-8033581268.

STILL AT YOUR SERVICE.

YOURS FAITHFULLY,

BARRISTER BERNARD WILLIAMS ESQ

PRINCIPAL, LEGAL PRACTITIONERS

From: Dr Charles Ijeoma

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: GO AHEAD AND MAKE THE PAYMENT

Sent: Wed, 07 Dec 2023 02:10:18 -0800 (PST)

Dear Partner Mr Gilbert Murray,

I am simply delighted in your effort to ensure we come to a better conclusion of this project as soon as possible with a view to recover the fund into your account before the end of next weekend.

Regarding the payment information of the lawyer, I want to believe that you inform me during your mail that the lawyer have provided you with his payment information and I want to advise that you consider the payment information of the lawyer and ensure you pay strictly to all his instruction in attempt to avoid delay.

All the same after reading your mail, I decided to contact the lawyer again and verify from him about his payment information and the lawyer reliably inform me that he has given you instruction to pay through WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER and not only that, the lawyer also admitted that he gave you the description of the WESTERN UNION AGENT nearest to you for prompt attention.

Now my advice as your partner is that you consider the payment instruction of our lawyer and endeavour to proceed with the payment through Western Union money transfer as urgent as possible since you have the address as said by our lawyer I believe nothing is stopping your payment this time.

Lastly, as for the amount, yes we agree that you sponsor the death certificate and I will take care of the activation fee on the bank side and by so doing you are only going to be responsible to transfer the amount $3,750 only for the death certificate fee to the attorney.

Once this fee is confirm to me and I will see what I can do to provide the attorney with the activation fee with all manner of urgency it deserves to enable him to proceed to the bank and complete the transaction.

Right now, I want to believe that you have been cleared with this issue of the payment and I advise that you go ahead and do that immediately and make sure you respond back to me.

Best regards,

Dr Charles Ijeoma

From: Gilbert Murray

To: Bernard Williams

Subject: A few questions

Sent: Wed, 07 Dec 2023 10:23:04

Dear Mr Williams,

Thanks for your email. I have a few questions, and I’d be grateful if you could get back to me with answers to them as soon as possible.

Firstly, your email refers to a “segret question”. What precisely is a “segret question”? I’ve had a look in my dictionary and the word “segret” doesn’t appear. The word “egret” does appear in the dictionary – it’s apparently a white heron that has long plumes during the breeding season – but what that has to do with getting the money to you is anybody’s guess. Could you please clarify exactly what you mean by “segret question”?

Secondly, your email states (and I quote): “for further information about the Western Union agents in your area please go through the information below”. However, there isn’t any “information below”. Did you miss something out of the email?

Please get back to me by return so that I can make the payment as soon as possible.

Best regards,

Gilbert Murray

From: Bernard Williams

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: Western Union address of the agents in your area

Sent: Wed, 07 Dec 2023 03:24:29 -0800 (PST)

Western Union agent locations/addresses and phone numbers:

CASH CONVERTERS, 332 HIGH STREET, LINCOLN, LINCOLNSHIRE, LN5 7DQ (+44 (0)152 576769).
EUROCHANGE, 294 HIGH STREET, LINCOLN, LINCOLNSHIRE, LN21AH (+44 (0)124 6557662).
GOING PLACES, 5 CORNHILL PAVEMENTS, LINCOLN, LINCOLNSHIRE, LN5 7HE (+44 (0)152 2512652).
LINCOLN CASH CENTRES, 373-374 HIGH STREET, LINCOLN, LINCOLNSHIRE, LN5 7RU.
THE MONEY SHOP, 27-28 SILVER STREET, LINCOLN, LINCOLNSHIRE, LN2 1EW (+44 (0)155 2542888).
THOMSON, 11 STONEBOW CENTRE, LINCOLN, LINCOLNSHIRE, LN2 1DY (+44 (0)152 2510666).
FIRST CHOICE TRAVEL, ASDA SUPERSTORE, CRAVEN WAY, LONGWELL GREEN, BRISTOL, BS15 7DY.

From: Bernard Williams

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: Answer to your questions

Sent: Wed, 07 Dec 2023 03:32:51 -0800 (PST)

BERNARD WILLIAMS & CHAMBERS
LEGAL PRACTITIONERS & SOLICITORS
PLOT 4, GREEK ROAD
APAPA
LAGOS
NIGERIA

DATE: 7TH/12/2005

ATTN: MR GILBERT A MURRAY

Dear Sir,

In response to your request please understand that secret question is one of the items you have to fill in the Western Union form for it is usually asked in the form which you have to fill for the receiver of the fund to be able to claim the money which is known by only you and the recipient of the money.

To your second question, the information we advise that you consider below is about our directives to the nearest location of the Western Union agent nearest to you and in case you miss this information we will send it back to you separately.

YOURS FAITHFULLY,

BARRISTER BERNARD WILLIAMS ESQ

PRINCIPAL, LEGAL PRACTITIONERS

From: Bernard Williams

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: Find the missing information which you refer to

Sent: Wed, 07 Dec 2023 03:38:49 -0800 (PST)

Western Union agent locations/addresses and phone numbers:

CASH CONVERTERS, 332 HIGH STREET, LINCOLN, LINCOLNSHIRE, LN5 7DQ (+44 (0)152 576769).
EUROCHANGE, 294 HIGH STREET, LINCOLN, LINCOLNSHIRE, LN21AH (+44 (0)124 6557662).
GOING PLACES, 5 CORNHILL PAVEMENTS, LINCOLN, LINCOLNSHIRE, LN5 7HE (+44 (0)152 2512652).
LINCOLN CASH CENTRES, 373-374 HIGH STREET, LINCOLN, LINCOLNSHIRE, LN5 7RU.
THE MONEY SHOP, 27-28 SILVER STREET, LINCOLN, LINCOLNSHIRE, LN2 1EW (+44 (0)155 2542888).
THOMSON, 11 STONEBOW CENTRE, LINCOLN, LINCOLNSHIRE, LN2 1DY (+44 (0)152 2510666).
FIRST CHOICE TRAVEL, ASDA SUPERSTORE, CRAVEN WAY, LONGWELL GREEN, BRISTOL, BS15 7DY.

From: Gilbert Murray

To: Bernard Williams

Subject: A question about the secret question

Sent: Wed, 07 Dec 2023 11:59:21

Dear Mr Williams,

Thanks for your emails and for sending me the information that you’d forgotten to include in your last email. I’m not entirely sure that it was necessary for you to send me quite so many copies of the email, but that is probably just a reflection upon the thoroughness with which you carry out your legal duties.

I see now what you meant by “segret question”. I had assumed that “segret” was a Nigerian word, but I see now that it was just a crass spelling error on your part. Thanks for clearing up the misunderstanding and for explaining why a secret question is required.

Now then, while we’re on the subject of this secret question, it has crossed my mind that the word “white” on its own doesn’t actually constitute a question as such. Strictly speaking, a question is a sentence of enquiry that asks for a reply, and taken on its own, the word “white” definitely doesn’t fit this definition. For a start, a sentence should contain a verb, and I remember very clearly from my schooldays that “white” is an adjective, not a verb.

And even if “white” was a question, I think it’s highly unlikely that the answer to it would be “black”. I mean, that wouldn’t make any sense at all, would it? The two are polar opposites.

Do you think this might cause problems during the money transfer? I was wondering whether it might be better if we used a different question... a proper question: one that starts with “who” or “what” or “why” or “when” or “where”?

Do you think this would be a good idea? Do let me know and I’ll see if I can think one up.

Best regards,

Gilbert Murray

At this point, something entirely unexpected happened: a third party – presumably a rival scammer – managed to hack into Dr Ijeoma and Mr Williams’ email accounts and, impersonating the two original scammers, started to email Gilbert in an attempt to persuade him to transfer the money to someone else entirely. This confused the hell out of Gilbert... and out of the scammers too. Initially, nobody knew what on earth was going on, but Gilbert worked it out in the end.

From this point forward, I have tried to identify those emails that came from the “fake” Dr Ijeoma or Mr Williams. Given that when it comes down to it they’re all actually fakes, it was sometimes hard to tell...

From: (The “fake”) Dr Charles Ijeoma

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: VERY VERY URGENT

Sent: Wed, 07 Dec 2023 04:29:30 -0800 (PST)

Dear Partner Mr Gilbert Murray,

I am simply delighted in your effort to ensure we come to a better conclusion of this project as soon as possible with a view to recover the fund into your account before the end of next weekend.

So this is the information you will use sending the money through Western Union transfer.

Below is the information for you to send the fees:

NAME: CHRISTOPHER MIKER

ADDRESS: 22 WILLIAMS STREET, SURULERE, LAGOS, NIGERIA, 23401

As soon as you send the funds today I want you to get back to me with the Western Union details below:

Sender name and address.
Total amount sent.
MTCN number (10 digits).
Test question and answer.
Receiver’s name: Christopher Miker.

Right now, I want to believe that you have been cleared with this issue of the payment and I advise that you go ahead and do that immediately and make sure you respond back to me.

Best regards,

Dr Charles Ijeoma

From: (The “fake”) Dr Charles Ijeoma

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: VERY VERY URGENT

Sent: Wed, 07 Dec 2023 04:31:17 -0800 (PST)

Hello Again Mr Gilbert Murray,

Regarding the payment information I provide to, I don’t want you to be confuse because I just contact Barrister Bernard Williams, and I was to give you the new information for you to make the payment today.

Once again below is the new information again:

NAME: CHRISTOPHER MIKER

ADDRESS: 22 WILLIAMS STREET, SURULERE, LAGOS, NIGERIA, 23401

As soon as you send the funds today I want you to get back to me with the Western Union details below:

Sender name and address.
Total amount sent.
MTCN number (10 digits).
Test question and answer.
Receiver’s name: Christopher Miker.

And also I want you to contact Christopher Miker through his private mail box because he is the one that will pick up the funds at the Western Union location for Barrister Bernard Williams, so this is Christopher Miker’s email: christopher_miker@yahoo.com. As soon as you send the fees today I want you to email the Western Union details to Christopher Miker I will also inform him to contact you today.

So I await for the confirmation from you today.

Thanks,

Dr Charles Ijeoma

From: Christopher Miker (presumably, our hacker)

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: Hello

Sent: Wed, 07 Dec 2023 04:37:22 -0800 (PST)

Hello Gilbert Murray,

I just receive a call from Barrister Bernard Williams, he inform me to contact you today about the required funds, so as soon as you send the funds today get back to me with the Western Union details, awaiting your urgent reply asap.

Thanks,

Christopher Miker

From: (The “fake”) Bernard Williams

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: FOLLOW MY INSTRUCTION

Sent: Wed, 07 Dec 2023 07:55:34 -0500 (EST)

Mr Gilbert Murray,

I will like to inform you that as soon as you send this fees for me to secure the death certificate, am 100% assure you that everything will be alright, send the money via Western Union because the fastest way to receive money in every country is via Western Union, so go ahead send the fund today and get back to me immediately so that I can get everything go smoothly in this week.

INFORMATION:

NAME: CHRISTOPHER MIKER

ADDRESS: 22 WILLIAMS STREET, SURULERE, LAGOS, NIGERIA, 23401

So I await for the confirmation from you today.

Thanks,

Barrister Bernard Williams

From: (The “fake”) Bernard Williams

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: URGENT

Sent: Wed, 07 Dec 2023 07:58:44 -0500 (EST)

Mr Gilbert Murray,

INFORMATION:

NAME: CHRISTOPHER MIKER

ADDRESS: 22 WILLIAMS STREET, SURULERE, LAGOS, NIGERIA, 23401

So I await for the confirmation from you today.

Thanks,

Barrister Bernard Williams

From: Bernard Williams

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: BERNARD WILLIAMS & CHAMBERS UPDATE

Sent: Wed, 07 Dec 2023 05:36:30 -0800 (PST)

Attention Mr Gilbert Murray,

Thanks for your observation from our recent instruction, bear in mind that this will not cause any problems during the money transfer.

However, we permit you to use any word like you have advised eg “who” or “what” or “why” or “when” or “where”.

Consider this and get back to us as urgent as possible and most importantly always endeavour to make sure you transfer the money today to enable us fasten the procurement of your late uncle death certificate.

Yours faithfully,

Barrister Bernard Williams Esq

From: Gilbert Murray

To: Dr Charles Ijeoma; Bernard Williams

Subject: Please stop confusing me!

Sent: Wed, 07 Dec 2023 14:52:35

Dr Ijeoma/Mr Williams,

Stop it! Just stop it, both of you! This constant barrage of emails is confusing the hell out of me! Have you both been drinking?

It’s not surprising that I’m confused. For one thing, you both seem to insist on sending me the same email two, three or even four times. Then you tell me to transfer money to someone called Augustine Mosindi, before changing your minds and telling me to transfer the money to someone I’ve never heard of before called Christopher Miker. Who the hell is this Christopher Miker, and what’s happened to Mr Mosindi?

Please, I beg you, try to explain this to me clearly and simply. I feel like I don’t know what’s going any more.

Best regards,

Gilbert Murray

From: Bernard Williams

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: BERNARD WILLIAMS & CHAMBERS UPDATE

Sent: Wed, 07 Dec 2023 06:53:56 -0800 (PST)

Attention Mr Gilbert Murray,

Thanks for your observation from our recent instruction, bear in mind that this will not cause any problems during the money transfer.

However, we permit you to use any word like you have advised eg “who” or “what” or “why” or “when” or “where”.

Yours faithfully,

Barrister Bernard Williams Esq

From: Gilbert Murray

To: Bernard Williams

Subject: STOP SENDING ME THE SAME EMAIL MORE THAN ONCE!

Sent: Wed, 07 Dec 2023 15:12:49

Mr Williams,

STOP SENDING ME THE SAME EMAIL MORE THAN ONCE! YOU ARE DOING NOTHING BUT CONFUSING THE ISSUE!

Gilbert Murray

From: Dr Charles Ijeoma

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: Mr Augustine Mosindi is the right name for the payment according to the attorney

Sent: Wed, 07 Dec 2023 08:05:08 -0800 (PST)

Dear Partner Mr Gilbert Murray,

Thanks for your mail.

Just immediately I got your mail about the confusion in the name of Mr Augustine Mosindi and the controversial name of Mr Christopher Miker, I hasten to contact the attorney immediately for proper verification.

Sir, the attorney admitted only giving you instruction to pay with the name Augustine Mosindi who he refer as the chief accounting officer of his chambers and not Mr Christopher Miker.

Please sorry if you find anything contradicting from the accounts department of the attorney’s chamber with regards to the names you mentioned.

And for the volume of mail you received I have also caution the attorney about it and he admitted that as of the time the mail was sent that his internet connection was down but in order to ensure you got all the information he has to keep sending it sorry for the inconveniences this might have caused you.

Finally, please confirm your telephone number to me.

Thanks.

Best regards,

Dr Charles Ijeoma

From: Bernard Williams

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: We apologise for all the inconveniences

Sent: Wed, 07 Dec 2023 08:39:44 -0800 (PST)

BERNARD WILLIAMS & CHAMBERS
LEGAL PRACTITIONERS & SOLICITORS
PLOT 4, GREEK ROAD
APAPA
LAGOS
NIGERIA

DATE: 7TH/12/2005

ATTN: MR GILBERT A MURRAY,

We respond in acknowledgement to your last instruction.

We apologise for the volume of mail received from our chamber it was as a result of the slowness in our internet connection.

Referring to the two names you have received from our chambers we are sincerely sorry for the confusion caused by our account department and we have taken note of that.

Sir, the right name for the transaction still remain MR AUGUSTINE MOSINDI.

Thanks for your good understanding and we look forward to your swift response.

STILL AT YOUR SERVICE.

YOURS FAITHFULLY,

BARRISTER BERNARD WILLIAMS ESQ

PRINCIPAL, LEGAL PRACTITIONERS

From: Gilbert Murray

To: (The “fake”) Dr Charles Ijeoma; Bernard Williams

Subject: I’m still confused

Sent: Wed, 07 Dec 2023 17:10:02

Dr Ijeoma/Mr Williams,

Thanks for your emails. I’m sorry, gentlemen, but I’m still confused. First of all you tell me to transfer money to a Mr Mosindi, then you change your minds and tell me to transfer the money to a Mr Miker – who is now sending me emails demanding money and information from me, I’ll have you know – and then you change you minds yet again and tell me to transfer the money to Mr Mosindi after all.

What one earth is going on over there? Up until now this had seemed like a relatively simple business transaction, but I don’t mind telling you that my mind’s reeling now with all the complications and contradictions you have both introduced into things today.

Are you absolutely sure you want me to transfer the money to this Mr Mosindi? Please make up your minds, gentlemen: I don’t want to transfer the money to Mr Mosindi, only to have you turn around the next moment and tell me that I should have transferred it to Mr Miker all along.

I just don’t know where to turn at the moment: this is all terribly confusing. Perhaps I should turn to Welsby for advice: he’s probably dealt with transactions like this before, and he may be able to give me some helpful hints. What do you reckon? Should I pop my head around his door tomorrow and see if he can help me out?

In the meantime, I’m going to have a good long sit down and a nice cup of tea and try to clear my head. I hope you realise, gentlemen, that we’ve wasted the entire day with all this coming and going. Given the time constraints we’re under, that’s not good. That’s not good at all.

Please get back to me with a definitive answer as to who I should transfer the money to, and let me know what I should tell this Mr Miker who is now bothering me. Hopefully we’ll be able to make some real progress tomorrow and make up for lost time.

Best regards,

Gilbert Murray

From: (The “fake”) Dr Charles Ijeoma

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: Understand me go now and send the money OK

Sent: Wed, 07 Dec 2023 09:31:06 -0800 (PST)

Thanks for the quick response I really appreciate it Gilbert Murray, like I said you have to send the money today. Go ahead and send the money to Mr Christopher Miker. Don’t send it to Mr Mosindi. Try to understand me why are you doing this to me don’t waste time go and send the money to Mr Christopher Miker now and get back to me that you have sent the money to him. If Mr Christopher Miker pick up so that everything will done this week hope to hear from you as soon as you send the money to Christopher Miker today.

Thanks,

Ijeoma

From: (The “fake”) Dr Charles Ijeoma

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: Understand me go now and send the money OK

Sent: Wed, 07 Dec 2023 09:33:13 -0800 (PST)

Mr Mosindi,

Thanks for the quick response I really appreciate it Gilbert Murray, why are doing this barrister contact me immediately I received your message he has contact you with Mr Christopher Miker full details. Don’t worry go and send the money today.

Thanks,

Ijeoma

From: (The “fake”) Bernard Williams

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: URGENTLY REPLY NEEDED

Sent: Wed, 07 Dec 2023 12:59:13 -0500 (EST)

Hello Murray,

Let me know what is going about the transfer of the money today, cos I have contact Mr Christopher Miker that will received the funds for me, that you will be sending him the confirmation and he just contact me that you have not get back to him with the Western Union money details, so let me know what is going with the status of transferring the funds today.

Mr Ijeoma contact me that you want to send the money to Mr Marindi (sic) please don’t send the money to him again due to some reasons, so Mr Christopher Miker is the man send the money to now and immediately you have the funds sent to him, get back to him via email with the confirmation for the transfer.

Thanks,

Barrister William

From: Bernard Williams

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: We only recomend Mr Augustine Mosindi from Bernard Williams and Chambers

Sent: Wed, 07 Dec 2023 23:08:10 -0800 (PST)

BERNARD WILLIAMS & CHAMBERS
LEGAL PRACTITIONERS & SOLICITORS
PLOT 4, GREEK ROAD
APAPA
LAGOS
NIGERIA

DATE: 7TH/12/2005

ATTN: MR GILBERT A MURRAY

Sir,

We strictly recommended Mr Augustine Mosindi for the payment and be officially inform that we did not recognised Mr Miker or any other person as a member of this chamber for your information.

Any payment made to Mr Mikers (sic) is at the payee risk we advise you to be very careful in trying to manage this situation.

Thanks for your good understanding and we look forward to your swift response.

STILL AT YOUR SERVICE.

YOURS FAITHFULLY,

BARRISTER BERNARD WILLIAMS ESQ

PRINCIPAL, LEGAL PRACTITIONERS

From: Dr Charles Ijeoma

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: Stop confusing the right name still remain Mr Augustine Mosindi

Sent: Wed, 07 Dec 2023 23:54:28 -0800 (PST)

Dear Partner Mr Gilbert Murray,

How are you and together with your family I hope everyone is fine.

I want you to understand that I am writing this mail to you in great pain due to the urgent call I got from the attorney some few minutes ago before writing this mail.

Sir, I want to believe that we have both agreed that you consider the name given to you for the payment by the attorney and this name is no other person but Mr Augustine Mosindi and I am very worried where you got your Mr Miker and please for your information the attorney is getting upset by your pressure email saying similar things and this has cause for great concern.

Please understand that we are adult and must be able to conduct ourselves as one I see no reason why you keep doubting the name Augustine Mosindi given to you by the attorney and if I may ask who is Mr Miker please explain.

The attorney did not recognise that name and the person is an intruder and if allow him gain access to our transaction we are finish so be very careful and follow the attorney instruction and I can assure you 100% that there is no problem.

Since we started this transaction I have never doubted you and I accept to believe everything you are telling me with regards to this transaction and if indeed you said that the fund you intend to raise is from the orphanages and our intention is to ensure we complete this transaction as urgent as possible and recover the fund within the shortest time ever and reimburse the orphanage’s account where the money was borrowed then why waste all this time?

Lastly, I have pleaded with the attorney about your immense pressure saying the same thing and we have both resolved that if you fail to pay this money today we will assume that you are not really serious with the transaction and we will do all in our capacity to stop you as the beneficiary of the fund and find another means of having the need of the death certificate met provided we achieve some progress.

Please in case we have the same faith I advise you go ahead and make the payment using Mr Augustine Mosindi and send the information to the attorney and me and inform Mr Miker that he is nothing but an intruder and he should leave us alone.

Best regards,

Dr Charles Ijeoma

From: (The “fake”) Bernard Williams

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: GOOD MORNING

Sent: Thu, 08 Dec 2023 02:25:33 -0500 (EST)

Good morning Murray,

I want you to go and send the money to Mr Christopher Miker this morning so he can pick up the money up for me, so that I can make everything done fast. Get back to me with Western Union money transfer details.

Hope to read from you today.

Thanks,

Barrister William

From: Gilbert Murray

To: Dr Charles Ijeoma

Subject: Will you please make your mind up?

Sent: Thu, 08 Dec 2023 09:34:56

Dr Ijeoma,

What in the name of Greek buggery is going on at your end? I have just read your astonishingly rude email in which you had the nerve to accuse me of wasting time. It isn’t me who’s been wasting time here, Dr Ijeoma; it’s you and Mr Williams!

You ask why I keep “doubting the name Augustine Mosindi”. Because you and Mr Williams keep telling me to send the money to Mr Miker instead, that’s why! You also ask who Mr Miker is. How the hell should I know? It’s you and Mr Williams who introduced him to me.

You and Mr Williams have wasted an entire day, first telling me to send money to one person then contradicting yourselves and telling me to send it to someone else. I have attached an email you sent to me yesterday, in which you told me to send the money to Mr Miker, so that you can see this for yourself.

I have never been so confused in all my life. I just don’t know what to believe any more. The only thing I can think of is that you and Mr Williams are either schizophrenic or drunk.

WHY do you tell me one thing in one email and then contradict yourself in the next? I just don’t understand.

Time is running out here, Dr Ijeoma. Kindly get things sorted out at your end and make your mind up who I should send the money to. And then stick to your decision, and let me know.

Gilbert Murray

From: (The “fake”) Dr Charles Ijeoma

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: VERY URGENT

Sent: Thu, 08 Dec 2023 02:14:28 -0800 (PST)

Hello Gilbert Murray,

Thanks for the quick response to my mail I appreciate it, as I instructed you to send the money to Christopher Miker, so go ahead and send the money today to Christopher Miker, the reason why I told you not to send it to Augustine Mosindi, I was told that Augustine Mosindi was in ill and the sickness was very serious and I don’t think he can be able to go to Western Union location to pick up the funds that was the reason why I told you to send the money to Christopher Miker, and also am very sorry for the confused OK, as soon as you send the money to Christopher Miker today I want you to email him the Western Union details because he told me that he was contact you yesterday and you are not reply to his mail, so try to send the Western Union details to him today.

Best regards

Dr Ijeoma

From: Gilbert Murray

To: (The “fake”) Dr Charles Ijeoma

Subject: Mosindi or Miker? Which is it to be?

Sent: Thu, 08 Dec 2023 10:28:43

Dr Ijeoma,

Have you gone quite mad, sir? In each email you send me, you tell me something completely different.

In the last email you sent me yesterday, you told me that I should send the money to Mr Mosindi, and acted as if you had never heard of Mr Miker. Now, in the email you have just sent me today, you are telling me to send the money to Mr Miker.

This business transaction is turning completely bizarre.

Mosindi or Miker? Which is it to be, Dr Ijeoma?

Gilbert Murray

From: Gilbert Murray

To: Bernard Williams

Subject: What on earth is going on?

Sent: Thu, 08 Dec 2023 11:44:47

Mr Williams,

Perhaps you would like to explain exactly what is going on? In the last email you sent to me yesterday, you asked me to send the money to Mr Mosindi. In the email you sent to me today, you asked me to send the money to Mr Miker.

If I can quote from the email you sent to me yesterday, you told me that “we strictly recommended Mr Augustine Mosindi for the payment and be officially inform that we did not recognised Mr Miker or any other person as a member of this chamber for your information”.

Let us leave your atrocious grammar aside for the moment, and contrast this with a quotation from the email you sent to me this morning: “I want you to go and send the money to Mr Christopher Miker this morning so he can pick up the money up for me, so that I can make everything done fast”. I have attached the email in which you said that to this email, to prove that I am not making this up.

How can you possibly reconcile those two completely contradictory statements, Mr Williams? Dr Ijeoma is making similarly contradictory statements from one email to the next.

How do you explain it, Mr Williams? Are the two of you schizophrenic, or are you drunk? Or have you both recently suffered a heavy blow to the head?

I can’t begin to tell you how confused I am, Mr Williams. Something strange is going on here, and I don’t like it. I’m not sending money to anyone – not to Mr Mosindi or to Mr Miker – until you sort out whatever is going on.

Gilbert Murray

From: Bernard Williams

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: Thanks for your information

Sent: Thu, 08 Dec 2023 05:19:15 -0800 (PST)

BERNARD WILLIAMS & CHAMBERS
LEGAL PRACTITIONERS & SOLICITORS
PLOT 4, GREEK ROAD
APAPA
LAGOS
NIGERIA

DATE: 8TH/12/2005

ATTN: MR GILBERT A MURRAY

Sir,

Thanks for your observation we are glad to have received your last message which includes the copy of the letter asking you to pay to Mr Miker.

Indeed we sincerely apologise for the mishap and we believe it occurred as a result of our carelessness to have allowed an intruder to tamper with our official correspondence which is against our ethics and profession not when money is involved.

But be rest assured that we have taken adequate measures to correct our mistake and learn from it and we give you our word 100% that such will not occur again and we are grateful to you for alerting us on time.

Now, to avoid controversy in the payment of your death certificate of your late uncle this chamber however advises that you transfer the money directly to me using the below information.

Pay directly to me via Western Union money transfer:

Beneficiary: Barrister Bernard Williams

Thanks for your usual co-operation and we promise to stand by your side always.

YOURS FAITHFULLY,

BARRISTER BERNARD WILLIAMS ESQ

PRINCIPAL, LEGAL PRACTITIONERS

From: (The “fake”) Dr Charles Ijeoma

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: Now that have told you to send it to Miker so go ahead and make the payment today

Sent: Thu, 08 Dec 2023 05:46:50 -0800 (PST)

Hello Gilbert,

Thanks for the quick response to my mail.

Am very sorry for the confusion, please bear with me I was told that Mr Mosindi he can’t pick up the money because he not feeling fine very serious illness. So go ahead now and send the money to Christopher Miker, I await for the Western Union details.

Thanks,

Dr Ijeoma

From: Dr Charles Ijeoma

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: Urgent

Sent: Thu, 08 Dec 2023 06:05:52 -0800 (PST)

Dear Partner Mr Gilbert Murray,

How are you and together with your business I hope fine.

Please confirm to me if you have made the payment today as I advised in my previous mail.

I was thinking to meet with the attorney later in the day once I close from office to confirm your payment to enable me to have rest of mind because I am very worried over this delay.

Sir, in case you telephone is now working please let me have the number so that I can reach you from time to time with regards to this transaction.

Thanks,

Dr Charles Ijeoma

From: Gilbert Murray

To: Bernard Williams; Cc: (The “fake”) Dr Charles Ijeoma

Subject: Do you mean someone has hacked into your email account?

Sent: Thu, 08 Dec 2023 14:11:26

Dear Mr Williams,

Thanks for your email. I think I am beginning to see what is going on here. Do you mean to say that someone has hacked into your email account and has been sending me emails, pretending to be you, asking me to send the money to Christopher Miker? Is that what’s been going on?

If that is indeed what’s been going on then I have to say that I’m shocked and dismayed at your lack of security, Mr Williams.

This probably also means that someone – probably the same person – has hacked into Dr Ijeoma’s email account as well as yours. That would explain the barrage of confusing emails I’ve been receiving from you and Dr Ijeoma for the past two days, first telling me to do one thing and then telling me to do another. In fact I’ve just received another email from Dr Ijeoma – or perhaps from someone who is pretending to be Dr Ijeoma – asking me to again transfer the money to Mr Miker. I’ve attached it to this email.

This raises a serious problem, Mr Williams. Given that someone who seems to know an awful lot about this transaction appears to be impersonating you and Dr Ijeoma, how do I know whether the emails I receive are really from you and Dr Ijeoma, or if they are from the imposter (whoever he is)? If I get it wrong, I could end up doing completely the wrong thing, thinking that you or Dr Ijeoma have instructed me to do something when in reality it’s the imposter who sent the email.

I think we need to do something about this, Mr Williams. For a start, Dr Ijeoma may not yet be aware that someone has hacked into his email account and is sending emails, pretending to be him. I suggest you tell him straight away so that he can do something about it.

I also think that we need to work out some kind of system so that I know whether the emails I receive are genuine. Do you have any ideas?

This is a terrible security lapse on your part, Mr Williams. How on earth could you let this happen? I’ve never experienced problems like this in all the years I’ve been dealing with my own lawyer, Welsby. You should take a loaf out of his book when it comes to security and confidentiality, Mr Williams.

As I said in my last email, just to be on the safe side, I will not be transferring money to anyone until this business of the imposter has been sorted out once and for all.

The ball is in your court, Mr Williams. We still have a problem here. Kindly deal with it at once.

Best regards,

Gilbert Murray

From: (The “fake”) Dr Charles Ijeoma

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: Stop thinking wrong OK

Sent: Thu, 08 Dec 2023 06:29:42 -0800 (PST)

Hello Gilbert Murray,

Thanks for the mail. Try to understand nobody hacked into my email account and why are you doing this to me like I told you Mr Augustine Mosindi is not feeling fine. Mr Christopher Miker is going to pick up the money. I have emailed you to let you understand stop delaying this transaction bear with me I said am very sorry for yesterday’s confusion. Mr Christopher is the right person to receive the money. Go and send the money now stop delaying as I instruct you nobody is pretending. Don’t take this to wrong place OK. We don’t have time to waste go and send it and get back to me OK.

Understand me very well.

Thanks,

Dr Ijeoma

From: Gilbert Murray

To: (The “fake”) Dr Charles Ijeoma; Cc: Bernard Williams

Subject: Get your story straight, then I will transfer the money

Sent: Thu, 08 Dec 2023 14:44:25

Dr Ijeoma (if indeed you actually are Dr Ijeoma),

How I wish I did understand you very well. The plain fact of the matter is that it is not me who is delaying this transaction; it is you and Mr Williams.

I am ready to transfer the money. But I cannot transfer the money until you and Mr Williams get your story straight and agree on who I should send it to. You are still telling me to send it to Mr Miker, but Mr Williams has just told me that Mr Miker is “an intruder” who has managed to gain a foothold in this transaction as a result of Mr Williams’ carelessness. I’m not making this up; this is what Mr Williams himself has told me.

This once-smooth business transaction is quickly turning into a farce. After the ridiculous goings-on we have experienced over the past two days, I now have very little confidence in either you or Mr Williams.

If you want this transaction to continue, this is what you need to do. Firstly, get your story straight with Mr Williams and decide who I should transfer the money to and STOP GIVING ME CONFLICTING ADVICE. Secondly, if someone has indeed hacked into your email accounts, sort out that problem. Then – and only then – will I even consider transferring this money.

My patience is fast running out. I’ve had more professional business dealings with the young lad on the street who sells matches. Either you and Mr Williams get this problem sorted out, Dr Ijeoma, or you can wave goodbye to me and my money.

Gilbert Murray

From: Bernard Williams

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: Give me a call immediately +234-8033581268

Sent: Thu, 08 Dec 2023 07:35:17 -0800 (PST)

BERNARD WILLIAMS & CHAMBERS
LEGAL PRACTITIONERS & SOLICITORS
PLOT 4, GREEK ROAD
APAPA
LAGOS
NIGERIA

DATE: 8TH/12/2005

ATTN: MR GILBERT A MURRAY

Sir,

We write to acknowledge your mail and from all indication we accept the mistake is from our chamber and we are currently working hard to put an end to it.

For now we advise that you limit your mail to this address only and understand that any correspondence you received from this particular email box is coming directly from our chamber: info_williamssolicitor@yahoo.com.

Furthermore, at this point I have concluded with Dr Ijeoma to stop any direct contact with you to save us from this trouble until further notice and this means that you cut any further contact with Dr Ijeoma for the meantime and focus on our chamber since we are pioneering the entire process.

Please always check for our format of writing mails to you to be accurately sure you are communicating with the right chamber and for security reason I advice you to transfer the money directly to me and stop any further payment with Mr Augustine Mosindi or Mr Christopher Miker for security reason and please know that with my name as the beneficiary – Barrister Bernard Williams – nobody can attempt to claim any money paid in that name since I am 100% sure that the intruder who is contacting could not be recognised as legal practitioners.

Please understand that my chief accountant Mr Augustine Mosindi is fine and currently present at duty in my chamber and he is not sick as lied by those people.

Sir, to be honest with you I am tired of writing mails explaining the same story and I will want you to call me on the phone now and let us put a stop to this hacker now. My personal telephone number is +234-8033581268.

In case your telephone has not been fixed please find another alternative like considering going to a pay phone and give me a call because I have tried calling you and no response is coming from your end.

Thanks for your usual co-operation and we promise to stand by your side always.

STILL AT YOUR SERVICE.

YOURS FAITHFULLY,

BARRISTER BERNARD WILLIAMS ESQ

PRINCIPAL, LEGAL PRACTITIONERS

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