£15m lost in bogus lottery

Conmen posing as officials from a bogus Canadian lottery have cheated Britons out of up to £15 million, it emerged today.

The fraudsters, operating out of illegal call centres, dupe their victims into believing they have won a fortune and must pay for the "prize cheques" to be delivered.

The Office of Fair Trading has received 300 complaints since August and several victims have lost tens of thousands of pounds.

In one case, £67,000 was handed over. "We know this is the tip of the iceberg because some people are embarrassed to say they have fallen for something like this," said OFT executive director Penny Boys.

She warned that there is no Canadian lottery.

The scam, masterminded from Canada by members of Mafia, Yardie and Hell's Angel gangs, has already netted more than £5 billion worldwide.

Now the criminals have turned to Britain and are targeting the elderly. More than 80 per cent of victims are thought to be over 65. Staff in call centres based in Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal typically ring homeowners who have responded to fake prize draw mail shots.

They claim the person has won the jackpot but say money is needed to cover tax and administration costs.

Retired hearing aid consultant Warwick Pelta, 70, lost more than £9,000 in May when he was told he had won $500,00 (£300,000). He said: "He seemed so genuine and authentic I believed him."