Concept Funds LTD
Canadian Sweepstakes, received check

Same as Reports 353541 and 353829.

This is a letter that my mom received the other day, without much time to respond. I convinced her to wait and let me check it out first. I'm retyping the whole letter here so that it is posted somewhere online if anybody searches any part of the text.

This is supposedly from Concept Funds LTD, Financial Investment and Lottery Management Consultant. Google search for the company finds no results except here at RIP OFF. (thanks other posters!)

The street addresses they list for Toronto don't seem to exist, but the streets do. Their addresses are in Toronto, but the one phone number they provide with them is apparently a cellular prefix in British Columbia.

The check itself is quite convincing, but closer inspection shows that the Citibank logo is fake. Also, the street listed for the company on the check, Ramtrade International, LLC, doesn't seem to exist.

Here's the letter...

Concept Funds LTD.
Financial Investment and Lottery Management Consultants
274 Kerr Road
Toronto Ontario
M6N 4N2, Canada
Tel: 1 (778) 316-7994
July 14, 2008

ATTENTION: *******

Your Claim #: 3A520E
We are pleased to advice you that you are one of the winners in the second category Sweepstake Draw held on May 30, 2008.
We therefore acknowledged receiving from the Government Lottery Office entry slip attached to your name with serial number 2645904 drew the lucky numbers 15-66-83-78-02.

Therefore you are entitled to the sum of US $352, 025.00 (Three hundred and fifty-two thousand and twenty-five dollars) payable to you by CERTIFIED CHECK, and will be delivered to you by our special courier company.

Enclosed is a check in the amount of US$4, 750.00 which has been deducted from your winnings. The purpose of this check is for the payment of Canadian Non-Resident Government Service Tax (GST).
Payable to the Canadian Tax Office as stated below;

TAX AGENT:
Elizabeth Trouy
822 Scott Street
Toronto Ontario
M7N 6N5, Canada

TAX AMOUNT: $3, 520.25

PAYMENT METHOD: Money Gram Wire Transfer

You are advised to call your claim agent;
EMMANUEL LEE @ 1 (778) 316-7994, To begin the claim process on your winning. Please note that this winning must be claimed within 14 days.
Congratulations from all of us here!!!

Yours truly,
CONCEPT FUNDS LTD.

(**signed Roy or Ray El... not the same as the name printed)
KERR ALBERTSON
Promotions Manager

Here are details on the check, which looks quite convincing at first glance...

From:
Ramtrade International, LLC ** Company exists, farm product importer
8270 T Jossem Road ** Looks like it must be Tjossem
Ellensburg, WA 98926

Citibank, N.A. Br #957 ** Citibank logo on the check is phony
1000 Broadway
Hillbrae, CA 94030 ** Town name misspelled

Amount: 4, 750.00

Numbers at the bottom of the check, if anybody is interested in checking into those: 4840 :: 321171181 :: 601350127

Yay for scams. If something is too good to be true, it almost certainly is.

Company: Concept Funds LTD
Country: Canada
Province: Ontario
City: Toronto
Address: 274 Kerr Road
Phone: 7783167994

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