Pensioner duped by lottery scam

The victim was told she had won £1m on a Canadian Lottery

A pensioner from Edinburgh has been duped into handing over hundreds of pounds to an overseas lottery scam.

The 85-year-old woman was targeted by fraudsters who called her from abroad, claiming that she had won £1m on a Canadian lottery.

The lady was persuaded to hand over hundreds of pounds in order to claim a bogus prize.

Police have renewed their warning following similar incidents of fraud in the past.

Officers said that an elderly couple in the Scottish Borders lost their life savings after falling victim to a so-called Canadian lottery scam last year.

Victims, usually elderly, are contacted by telephone by alleged operators of a lottery, which they usually claim operates in Canada.

'Substantial amounts'

However, some have claimed to be calling from other countries, including Spain.

The caller states that the victim has won a substantial amount of money and in order to claim the prize the person is encouraged to send money for administration purposes and/or handling charges.

A spokesman from Lothian and Borders Police said: "These fraudsters think nothing of targeting elderly and vulnerable people, who are duped into handing over substantial amounts of cash in order to claim their fortune.

"It is unfortunate that people are still falling victim to this type of scam, and we would encourage people not to enter into any type of agreement where they are giving money to those offering substantial prize winnings."