Neath Port Talbot Hit By Postcode Lottery Scam

Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council’s Trading Standards team are warning residents about scam letters being sent to trick people into thinking they have won a cash prize on the People’s Postcode Lottery. Recipients of the letters will often not have registered for the People’s Postcode Lottery and the fake lottery letters give an address in Belgium, rather than the UK. To claim their prize, ‘winners’ are asked to pay a fee. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The official People’s Postcode Lottery is aware of the scam and has advised that they would never request a payment from a winner in order to receive their prize. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Scammers will often try to pass themselves off as a well-known brand or organisation to obtain information on unsuspecting members of the public. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Remember – if you aren’t registered to take part in a lottery or prize draw, then you can’t win. Organisations such as the People’s Postcode Lottery and the National Lottery will not charge a fee to claim winnings. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

If in doubt, you can report any suspect mailings to the Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 03454 040506 (welsh language 03454 040505) or Action Fraud at http://www.actionfraud.police.uk/. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​