A 72-year-old pensioner from Dagenham, East London, who was recently targeted by lottery scam artists failed to be fooled by the tricksters, but is worried that others may not be so lucky.
"It’s more than likely they target old people, hoping they won’t be as street savvy," Barry Watson said. "I think the people who set up these scams are the lowest form of filth. They’re lower than slugs."
Watson smelt a rat as soon as he opened up the bogus mailing that claimed to be from the Euro Millions International Postcode Lottery and stated he had won £700,000.
"My daughter is in the police force and has warned me about these scams in the past so I want to raise awareness too because I don’t want any poor person losing all of their money," Watson said.
After the initial rich promises the letter requested Watson send his full bank details to Waterloo Finance House in Manchester so that payment could be arranged.
Watson was already familiar with this kind of set-up. His email inbox used to receive a regular influx of mailings from Nigerian scammers. Being targeted via the Royal Mail was a new experience for the savvy pensioner and it was not to his liking.
“It’s even more scary and shocking receiving something like this in the post as opposed to it being via an email," he said.
Genuine lotteries do not contact people in this manner and would never request bank details and other personal information. Anyone who thinks they have been targeted in this way should call Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040.
