But a simple message today went out to the people receiving the letters: "Throw the scam correspondence in the bin."
Letters from Spain are arriving on the doormats of residents in Hartlepool saying they have won an international lottery and all they need to do is pass on their bank details.
But the letter is a ploy to make unsuspecting people pass over their bank and personal details to thieves who could use the information for identity theft and to steal hard earned savings, say town experts.
Hartlepool Borough Council officers said they are aware of the letters titled La Primitiva and have offered a simple solution: If it looks too good to be true throw it in the bin.
David West, 68, of Skelton Street, Hartlepool, received a letter last week. It said he had won £600,000 on September 10 after being drawn from 25,000 sets of numbers.
He had filled out the form before his wife questioned the letters authenticity and stopped him replying.
He said: "I had filled it out as it looks real and it was sent from a place in Spain where we often go to as our friends have a restaurant over there.
"I couldn't remember entering a lottery but I might have done after a few drinks so I didn't think it impossible.
"But we are aware of scams and when we have asked others they have said it is just a con. I want to show people how easy it is too be duped so no one falls for it.
"I wish it was true because then we could go over to Spain more but replying could have seen me end up with nothing."
Michael Welsh, the Council's principal trading standards officer, said: "Offers such as these that appear too good to be true usually are.
"People should never divulge personal information, and our advice to anyone receiving an offer is simple, throw it in the bin."