Google searches for scam Health Lottery letters have spiked this week as fraudsters target hopeful victims.

These sneaky ‘lottery award winning claim notification’ letters claim recipients have won as much as £750,000 in the Health Lottery.

Launched in 2011, the Health Lottery was created to raise money for health-related good causes across the country. Participants can enter by selecting five numbers, with prize draws happening five days a week. The top cash prize is £100,000.

However, the Health Lottery never sends letters to its winners, so if you receive a letter claiming you’ve won, you can rest assured that it’s a scam.

Warwickshire County Council’s Trading Standards Service warned about this scam circulating locally in December. Warwickshire residents received letters claiming they'd won £420,000 in the Health Lottery.

This new scam letter, which is deceptively addressed to you by name, includes bogus ‘winning’ numbers and a ticket number. It claims to be sent from an address in Aberdeen – which isn’t associated with the Health Lottery.

It claims that participants 'were randomly selected by Computer Ballot System’ from a ‘database of the National Health Service and Residents in the United Kingdom’.

It also incorrectly claims that the Health Lottery is designed and promoted by Heritage and National Lottery Fund, Scotland Care Trust and Community Global Trust.

The letter gives two numbers to call to claim your winnings.

Calling one of these numbers will lead to a phone scam, also known as a vishing scam, where a fraudster on the other end of the line attempts to gather further personal and financial information.

Putting additional pressure on recipients, the letter claims you need to call within a short deadline or risk having ‘the entire funds returned’.

Avoiding and reporting scam letters

The Health Lottery doesn't send letters to winning participants, so you can report any letter and then bin it. Don't call the number.

Letters impersonating lotteries or offering large prizes are typical of postal scams. Don't be fooled by a letter that addresses you personally as scammers can obtain your details fraudulently.

If you or someone you know has received a scam letter, you can report it. Royal Mail provides a form that you can use to report scam letters. You can submit this online or send it to Freepost Scam Mail.

You can also report the scam to Action Fraud or call the police on 101 if you’re in Scotland.

If you lost money to a scam, contact your bank immediately using the number on the back of your card.

Source: Which?

https://www.which.co.uk/news/article/fraudsters-target-households-with-fake-health-lottery-letters-ah7Kw5W6lDpI