AN East Yorkshire woman was told she had won half-a-million pounds in an Olympic Games Lottery scam.

Police are now investigating the apparent fraud involving letters being sent to members of the public claiming they are winners in a special lottery celebrating the London-held Games. The inquiry began after a Pocklington woman received a personally addressed letter suggesting she had won £500,000. The letter said in order to make her claim she was required to ring a telephone number and fax certain details including personal and banking information, to another number in order that the claim could be processed.

The woman was concerned the letter, which stated it was from London 2012 Olympic Games Lottery and gave an address in Law Street, London, was not authentic and reported the matter to police. Detective Sergeant Jon Cross, said: “Recipients of these letters or any similar correspondence are advised simply to ignore them and never to divulge details of a personal or banking nature.”