Pensioner outsmarts the lotto scammers
Pensioner calls for clampdown on bogus lottery fraudsters after narrow escape
When pensioner Peter Grant put down the phone, he was already counting his winnings. He had just been told of an unexpected windfall and was looking forward to collecting a £375,000 lottery win. It sounded too good to be true. Sadly for Peter, it was. Now the former Glasgow Subway station master is fighting to stop the scammers claiming to represent the People’s Postcode Lottery in one of Britain’s most biggest “phishing” scams, designed to glean bank account, ID and passport details from victims. Peter received a letter from a company in London claiming to represent the well-known lottery game. He was told he had won £375,000 and was one of 200 jackpot winners. National agency Action Fraud said it now received more than 35,000 reports each month about phishing scams such as the one that targeted Peter. “My first thought was that it all sounded too good to be true,” said Peter, who now lives in Thornton-Cleveleys near Blackpool. “But the letter was very convincing. It included all the right logos.” Against his better judgment, Peter, 75, followed the instructions on the letter and called a phone number to claim his “big-money prize”. “The man I talked to had a very well-mannered English accent. He asked me for reference and serial numbers included in my letter,” he said. “It was then he told me that I had indeed won £375,000 and it would take a couple of months to come through. “It was when he started to ask me how I would like to be paid that alarm
I knew it sounded too good to be true but the letter was very convincing
bells started to go off. He didn’t like it when I asked for a cheque instead of the money being paid directly into my bank and I soon got off the line. “I thanked my lucky stars afterwards that I had the presence of mind not to give him any details because I could see how easy it is to get sucked in. “Even after the phone call I was still hoping it might be true. “I had made up a list of about 20 people, including my three grown-up kids, who I was going to give some money to. “I would hate to see anyone actually fall for this.” Peter wrote to his MP, former Transport Minister Paul Maynard, who has brought his case to the attention of Tracey Crouch, Minister for Sport and Civil Society, asking her to look into the matter. “These schemes are often designed to target the most vulnerable and it is essential that those responsible are brought to justice,” said Mr Maynard, who is also Lord Commissioner of the Treasury. A similar scam targeting homeowners first surfaced two years ago but subsided after police began to investigate. But the real People’s Postcode Lottery, based in Edinburgh, said it has resurfaced. Spokeswoman Eilidh Stanners said: “We are working with Action Fraud and Citizens Advice to reach a wider audience with advice on how to spot fraudulent communications, in addition to the ongoing support we give our players. “Sadly, there are criminals out there who will always try to exploit the good reputation of well-known organisations like ours.”