On 17 Dec, I received a mail notification from Sweeps Promotional Games International stating my e-mail id has won a prize of 3, 50, 000 pounds. The mail inscribed to provide the following details to the Claim Officer Mr. Jean Bendy as under:

KINDLY FILL OUT THE CLAIMS REQUIREMENT FORM BELOW AND FORWARD DIRECTLY TO THE ABOVE MENTIONED CLAIMS OFFICER:

(1) FULL NAME

(2) FULL ADDRESS

(3) NATIONALITY

(4) SEX

(5) AGE

(6) OCCUPATION

(7) MOBILE/TELEPHONE NUMBER

(8) WINNING EMAIL ID

(9) DATE OF WINNING AWARD

(10) TOTAL AMOUNT WON

(11) MARITAL STATUS

(12) DRAW NUMBERS

(13) REFERENCE NUMBERS

(14) SERIAL NUMBERS

I acknowledged the mail and forwaded them with the details.

In response they mailed the following:

Sweeps Promotional Games International

12, Olympic Way, Sefton Business Park
Aintree Liverpool, L301RD London U.K
Ref no: SPGI/UK/1015/08
Serial no: SPGI/SDRO/UK/10-1324/08
Draw no: 4937/SDRO

Dear Dhrubajit Chakraborty
Winning eMail ID:[email protected]
Date: 18th December, 2008

Sequel to your email containing your winning and personal particulars, our Verification Department has completely verified and documented the information you presented. It is with great pleasure I inform you that you have been cleared for payment and you are eligible to receive your won prize.

However, be informed that, your won prize/ information’s have been forwarded to Deutsche Postbank AG who are our assigned paying banks, and they await your contact to enable them proceed with the swift transfer of your funds to your designated account or equally deliver directly to you by hand via their courier delivery system/services.

Therefore you are to immediately contact the bank using the detailed information below.


Deutsche Postbank AG
London Branch
61, Queen Street
London EC4R 1AF
Tel: +44-703-195-9701
Fax: +44-709-289-8027
Email: [email protected]
Contact Person: Dr. Bruce Haggins.
(Director – Foreign Operations Department)

You are advised to contact him right away (via email/Fax) or better still, give him a call so as to quickly acknowledge your email for swift actions.

You are required to provide the Bank with the underlisted details:

1. A scanned copy of any valid identity card. (Drivers’ License/Passport /Pan Card/I.C./School ID/Bank ID)

2. Your complete bank account details

3. Tel/Fax, if any

4. Your contact address

5. Mode of Receiving Winning Funds (Bank Transfer/Courier Delivery)


Do keep me informed as soon as you contact the bank so that I can help you follow up with the bank to facilitate your funds transfer.


Congratulations,

Best Regards,

Mr. Jean Bendy

(Sweeps Promotional Games Claims Officer)

Tel: +44- 703-194-4878

Fax: +44-709-289-6542


In response to my mail, on Dec 20, 2008, the following mail was escalated:

Deutsche Postbank AG
London Branch
61 Queen Street
London EC4R 1AF
Our Ref:FC 025747
Date: 20th December, 2008


Attn: Mr.Dhrubajit Chakraborty
Email:[email protected]
Winning Fund Transfer of £350, 000.00 GBP

We received lodgments of £350, 000.00 GBP (Three Hundred and Fifty Thousand United Kingdom Pounds) from Sweeps Promotional Games International to transfer to you for emerging as a category "B" winner in the "SWEEPS DOUBLE ROLLOVER /08" lottery draws.

For your prize (CREDIT NOTE) to be transferred into your account the following information must be sent to us as soon as possible.

1. Your complete bank account details for the transfer. (Re-send)
2. A scanned copy of your passport size photograph. (Picture) This will be attached to your Lottery Award Certificate that will be sent to you as a proof of the SOURCE OF FUNDS.
3. You are to make payment for the Cost Of Transfer (C.O.T.) Charges of £410.00 GBP (Four Hundred And Ten United Kingdom Pounds)

The payment of £410.00 GBP (Four Hundred And Ten United Kingdom Pounds) = 32, 158.22 INR (Thirty Two Thousand One Hundred And Fifty Eight Indian Rupees) should be paid through our subsidiary accounts with our Associate Bankers in your country, in the name of our International Banking Service Delivery Accounts whose details I shall provide you after receiving requirements 1 and 2 from you.

After effecting the required C.O.T charge payment as stated above, you are required to send us payment alerts/details (copy of deposit Slip) for confirmation of your payments so we can immediately activate your winning fund transfers to your already given bank account in your home country.

Once the transfer activation is effected, after your payment confirmations, your funds will reflect in your home bank account within 48hrs.(2days)

The charges cannot be deducted from your prize money due to compulsions posed by the International Lottery body and Insurance law in United Kingdom, hence we will be unable to process the transfer documents of your prize by deducting from your prize or any other alternative not stated here. These policies have been put in place to check previously experienced cases of funds mishandling and/or misappropriation and we are obliged to act in line with them.

Acknowledging receipt of this letter indicates acceptance of DEUTSCHE POST BANK AG. terms and conditions.

Thanks for your understanding as we wish to serve you better.

Yours sincerely
Dr Bruce Hag gins
(Director – Foreign Operations Department)
Tel: + (44) -703-195-9701
Fax: + (44)-709-289-8027


In continuation to the series of mail, I forwaded my bank account details alongwith scanned copy of photograph.

On receiving my mail, on Dec 22, 2008, I received the following mail:

Deutsche Postbank AG
London Branch
61 Queen Street
London EC4R 1AF
Our Ref:FC 025747
Date: 22nd December, 2008


Attn: Dhrubajit Chakraborty
Email: [email protected]

Winning Fund Transfer of £350, 000.00 GBP

This is to acknowledge the receipt of your mail and all that was stated herein has been noted and documented. Before we can commence on the transfer of your fund to your designated bank account, all the requirements must be met including the payment for the cost of transfer charges (COT).

The payment of £410.00 GBP (Four Hundred And Ten United Kingdom Pounds) = 32, 158.22 INR (Thirty Two Thousand One Hundred And Fifty Eight Indian Rupees) should be paid directly to our subsidiary accounts there in India at any ICICI BANK branch nearest to you in the name of our International Banking Service Delivery Accounts with the details below: Take note of the account pay-in name in bold prints to avoid any remittance mistakes.

Account Name: SHREEKANE POOJARI
Bank Name: ICICI BANK
Bank Branch: MUMBAI
Bank Account Number: 623501533646

After effecting the required C.O.T charge payment as stated above, you are required to send us payment alerts/details (copy of deposit Slip) for confirmation of your payments so we can immediately activate your winning fund transfers to your already given bank account in your home country.

Once the transfer activation is effected, after your payment confirmations, your funds will reflect in your home bank account within 48hrs.(2days)

Thanks for your understanding as we wish to serve you better.

Yours sincerely

Dr. Bruce Hag gins
(Director – Foreign Operations Department)
Tel: + (44) -703-195-9701
Fax :+( 44)-709-289-8027

This was journey of 3, 50, 000 pounds for the last 10 days. I went so long just to track the associate banker in India that is reflecting in my mail.

Kindly suggest on the nomenclature of this mail & request to act upon this fraud as the bank details are transparent in the mail.