A WARNING has gone out to people not to enter bogus lottery competitions which are being delivered to homes in the Fylde.

Forms which include a scratchcard competition apparently offering the chance to win up to 5,000 dollars and claiming to give details of how to enter foreign lotteries are currrently being posted in the area.

Entrants are also asked to send a cheque to buy tickets to enter the Spanish Lottery and are requested to enter their credit card details.

But people are being warned they have no guarantee they will receive any winnings and could end up losing money.

Lancashire's chief trading standards officer Jim Potts said: "People should beware of any mail which claims to be part of a foreign lottery.

"They often tempt you by making you believe you have won a cash prize but there is always a catch. "I would strongly advise people not to send off a cheque and definitely not to give credit card details or they could end up losing a lot of money.

"It is difficult to stop these being delivered because direct mail cannot be opened beforehand but the safest thing for people to do is ignore them."

There are currently a lot of lottery scams operated internationally which usually give an overseas address in Canada, USA or the Far East.

The forms often look like official certificates with logos and official sounding names such as the Worldwide Lottery Commission or the European Lottery but they only exist as trading names.

A spokesman for the Gaming Board added: "We would advise people that they would be far safer entering a lottery in this country which is properly regulated.

"Any direct mail which asks for credit card details should be treated with suspicion especially if they are from a company based abroad.

"The best thing to do with these is throw them in the bin."