HALTON residents have been warned to avoid falling foul of a new scam which is doing the rounds in Widnes and Runcorn.
The latest warning comes after a pensioner received a letter saying she had been selected as a winner of the International Mega Million Jackpot and was in line for £2.5m.
The woman told consumer protection officers she was then bombarded with telephone calls trying to persuade her to send money in order to activate the prize.
They were first demanding £500 but after realising the woman was not able to afford it, they reduced the amount to £100.
As February is scam awareness month, the department is highlighting the scam as one of the latest bids to exploit people.
The department warns that residents are receiving similar correspondence and phone hassle every day.
And in the UK an estimated 28 million UK consumers are targeted every year by scams which use e-mail, text message, post, telephone and the internet.
John Downes, Halton Borough Council's consumer protection service manager, said: 'Scams, damage individuals and undermine confidence in legitimate marketing techniques, harming fair-dealing businesses.
'Consumers who lose money to scams have very little chance of getting any of it back. So it is essential we equip consumers with the skills and knowledge to avoid falling victim to them.'
'Our advice is to ignore any scams asking for money or bank details before the 'prize' is released.'
If you think you have been misled by a scam or wish to report one, contact the Consumer Protection Service for advice on 0151 471 7515.
