Too good to be true      It probably is

Have you ever been tempted by a letter offering prize money in exchange for a small amount of money?

Perhaps you've responded to such an offer only to find no prize appears?

A man from Rugby unfortunately has done just that, falling prey to fraudsters many times and losing around £30,000.

Over the last year letters have arrived at his home offering large cash prizes for a £10 to £30 administration fee.  Sadly this man believed these fraudsters and replied many times, sending cheques in the post to 'companies' throughout the world.

His family only became aware of the trust he had in these 'companies' last month. The 88 year old victim has stopped sending money.

The family contacted police to report the frauds, but also wanted to warn other people about the danger of sending money in response to promises of cash prizes.

Speaking about this scam, PC Stuart Baker from Rugby Police warns for people to be very wary about tempting offers that arrive in the post.

"These scams appear unannounced throughout people's front doors and with the credit crunch still with us, they could seem even more tempting for householders.

"A scam is a scheme designed to con you out of your cash. Scams come in many forms and are getting more sophisticated all the time. So, even if you think you would never be fooled, make sure you remain sceptical about offers that seem too good to be true - they usually are!"

Detective Inspector Rob Harris from the Economic Crime Unit said: "There are large numbers of these frauds taking place at any one time all over the world. Any one of us could be a target, but with a little care it is preventable. The fraudster will attempt to con you into parting with your cash so:

- Keep your wits about you at all time

- Never give any banking details to unverified sources"

ends