Lichfield and Burntwood residents are being warned to be on the look out for the latest lottery scam after a number of people were conned out of substantial amounts of their money.
According to the Office of Fair Trading, the new Jamaican-based lottery scam involves victims receiving phone calls from operators claiming to be lawyers, bank officials or lottery organisers who announce that a prize has been won then ask for fees before any winnings can be paid.
Further calls are often made which demand more money and often threaten violence if people don’t pay. The scam has already targeted people in other countries, with an estimated £18.5m being lost in the US .
Staffordshire County Councillor Ben Adams, Cabinet member for Communities and Culture said:
“If this was a genuine lottery, people would not be asked to pay out fees before handing out winnings. What is particularly despicable once again is that older and vulnerable people are being targeted and that violence is being used to coerce them into handing over their life savings.
“I would urge any Staffordshire residents who receive such a call to not give out any personal information and report it to the police.”
