419 scam: "Bill Chester"<info@commonwealth.org> QUALIFICATION ALERT!

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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:
- "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)
- "we advice you" (this email uses bad English)
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: "Bill Chester" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <commonwealth@cyberservices.com>
Date: Wed, 23 May 2012 14:04:36 -0400
Subject: QUALIFICATION ALERT!

The Common Wealth Foundation
Marlborough House, Pall Mall,
London, SW1Y 5HY,
United Kingdom

Ref: CMNL/04760X2/45
Batch: 8731/069/BRK369

Congratulations!

The Commonwealth Foundation is pleased to announce the launch of a Special Grants Initiative for Civil Society Organisations and Commonwealth
Associations in partnership with the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) to undertake strategic and innovative projects that will
promote the Commonwealth theme for 2012, "Connecting Cultures". The “Connecting Cultures” Special Grants Initiative complements other existing
Commonwealth Foundation’s programmes and grants and aims to create deeper understanding between different cultures within the Commonwealth.

The Board of Directors of the Common Wealth of Nations wishes to congratulate you on your successful emerge as one of the lucky beneficiaries
of the sum of £500,000.00 ( FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND POUNDS STERLING) on the ongoing 2012 COMMON WEALTH SPECIAL GRANTS INITIATIVE
in conjuction with our Common Wealth Trust Funds as part of the Common Wealth Day Celebration which is an opportunity to promote understanding on global
issues, international co-operation and aims to improve the lives of its members.

This winning ticket was selected from a Data Base of Internet E-mail Users,from which your Address came out as the winning coupon.We hereby
urge you to claim the winning amount quickly as this is a monthly lottery.Failure to claim your win will result into the reversion of the fund to
our following month.You are therefore requested to contact immediately our Claims Department below quoting winning number:
LOTTERY NUMER:05-08-10-18-20-46-{43}.

COMMONWEALTH DRAWS AGENT
BILL CHESTER (Esq)
Email:commonwealth@cyberservices.com

FILL THE INFORMATION BELOW
Name_____
Age______
Sex____
MaritalStatus____
Tel/Fax____
Address____
Occupation___
Congratulations once again. please quote your lottery number.

Regards,

Bill Chester
2012 Draws Agent for Common Wealth Lottery

****************************************************************************************************************************************************************
Disclaimer: In accordance to the programme Lottery policy and regulations, this message is dispatched directly to the recipient only. If you
have received this message by error, we advice you disregard thismessage as you are not authorized to read, print, retain or disseminate any
part of it for any reason.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam