Police have issued a warning about cold calling lottery fraudsters.
There have been reports to police that people, especially the elderly and vulnerable, have been targeted by crooks claiming to be from foreign lotteries.
A Sussex Police spokesman said: “This is a worldwide fraud and not confined to north Sussex or even the UK. These scamsters concoct a story that requires the victim to send them money in order to release the winnings. Money orders are transferred via Western Union, leaving little hope of tracing the recipient. The scammers often use bullying tactics and are forceful and impatient with their requests for the money transfers, even suggesting the victim take out a bank loan to pay the release fee. These calls are usually made from telephone numbers beginning with 0028 which again are impossible to trace.”
PC Kate Buckler added: “We know of only one case in our area in which someone has actually parted with money. Last November an East Grinstead man parted with a total of £1,783 after he was approached in exactly this way by a man who told him he had won on the Euro World Lotto Corporation - which does not exist.”
“However there might have been other victims. If you are contacted in this way about an alleged lottery win, please remember - if it sounds to good to be true it probably is. Keep your personal details and finances safe and never agree to any financial transaction over the phone with someone you don’t know.”