Junk mail scams target vulnerable

The council said the mail was sent to people across Falkirk

Foreign conmen have been targeting vulnerable people and businesses in the Falkirk area with fake competitions, the local authority has said.

Falkirk Council warned residents to be aware the area has become a focus for the fraudsters in recent weeks.

In particular, the authority said people were being contacted to say they had won a Spanish sweepstake lottery.

Companies have also been urged to pay £250 for business support information which was free.

A spokesman for the council said there had been an increase in the number of people contacting trading standards teams.

Residents have been sent letters from Malaga, in Spain, informing them they have won £1m in the Loteria International Spanish Sweepstake Lottery.

Beyond the law

In order to claim prizes, readers were asked to provide bank details, a signature and next of kin information to allow competition organisers to process a 10% administration charge.

Other residents have also been offered the chance of "free" gym membership.

They have been told by a company called Matter Consulting Ltd of Cheltenham, Gloucester that another business put their details forward.

Local businesses have also been targeted by misleading adverts urging them to contact a hotline telling them to unnecessarily buy business support manuals.

The mail has the appearance of a ripped magazine page with an attached sticky note stating: "Call, it's brilliant".

Trading standards officer Nicola Fagan warned people not to be seduced by the scams, as the organisations operated beyond UK law.

She said: "Do not give out your most sensitive personal details to a company you know nothing about.

"They have no interest in helping you and they are simply out to take your money."