RESIDENTS are being warned not to fall for a postal scam circulating in North East Lincolnshire.
Two elderly homeowners have reported receiving a letter informing them they have been allocated £3.5 million from an organisation called IPO.
The scam asks that, to release the money, claimants must submit either £40 cash or £50 postal order – money they will never see again.
Steve Kirk, 54, of Soloman Court, Cleethorpes, is chairman of the Beacon Hill Connect group and a neighbour of the two people who reported the letters.
Steve has expressed his concerns in the Grimsby Telegraph because one of the victims was trying to find the correct address to send a cheque to, and wanted everyone to be wary.
"I've never seen this particular letter before," he said.
"It's very concerning. One of my elderly neighbours who received the letter was asking another resident if he knew where he needed to send the money to.
"If he had seen the address he would have sent the money. A sum of £40 or £50 may not sound like a lot of money to some people but to people living on pensions it could make a big difference.
"They always manage to find the most vulnerable people. I don't know how they do it.
"Many people will just throw the letters in the bin but some are not as alert.
"I want people to be aware of this latest letter scam and hopefully we can prevent anyone falling victim to it.
"The people behind these scams are scum of the earth. If you receive one of these letters I will happily come round and rip it up for you."
Councillor Dave Bolton, portfolio holder for Community Safety and Neighbourhoods at North East Lincolnshire Council, said: "If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is, but some people will try anything to get their hands on some easy money.
"Anyone suspecting a scam or receiving potentially fraudulent communication in any form can seek advice from Citizen's Advice on 0845 040506."
