An elderly Colorado Springs man believed he had won two cars and a $1 million.

Police Saturday said he was really the victim of a two-year overseas scam.

A convenience store clerk alerted police to the scam last week after seeing the man purchase thousands of dollars worth of transferable money cards. Police discovered the man had sent more than $130,000 to the scammers, believing that he would collect his winnings if he sent them enough money, said Colorado Springs police Sgt. Chuck Potter.

During the investigation, three different scam artists called the man’s phone and told officers they were in Las Vegas, but police suspect they are operating from Jamaica or Nigeria, where the advance fee fraud scams are commonplace.

The victim, who police did not identify, had received flyers in the mail telling him he had won cash and prizes. Police stopped him from sending an additional $8,000.

Potter said the man still believes he will receive his money. Instead, scam artists exploited his age and trust, he said. Officers who specialize in protecting the elderly are working help him understand the situation.

“We’re trying to convince him that this is not happening, this is not true, it’s a crime,” Potter said, adding that scams like these are more prevalent than people think, with victims sometimes getting cheated out of entire retirement and savings accounts.

While it’s unlikely that the victim will get his money back, police want it to be a lesson to the community: Never send money anticipating to receive money or a prize in return.

“People are on fixed incomes and they’re losing everything they’ve worked for their whole lives,” Potter said.

Photo by BOB KANE