Trading Standards warn residents of People's Postcode Lottery scam

The letter states that you hold the winning ticket in an international lottery, but in order to claim the substantial monetary prize you have to phone a telephone number and pay a processing fee to lottery “agents” based in London.

The letter advises you to keep your winning information confidential until your claim has been processed.

Trading Standards advise residents to bin the letter.

They offer the following guidance on checking if you think something is a scam:

It could be a scam if the call, letter, email or text has come out of the blue

You’ve never heard of the lottery or competition they are talking about and didn’t buy a ticket

You are asked to send money in advance

You are told you have to respond quickly so I don’t get time to think about it or talk to family and friends before you decide

You are told to keep it a secret.