The Derry public have urged to be vigilant after a pensioner was targeted for the second time by a health lottery scam.

The man, from the Rosemount area of the city has been contacted twice by letters from 'Health Lottery UK' in the past two months.

The letter from the company told the pensioner that they had won £350,000 in a national health lottery bid award International programme held in London, United Kingdom.

To claim the prize the pensioner was asked to contact 'Barrister Ashley Jenkins the Foreign Service Manager of Hexagon Financial Group'.

The letter said 'this programme was designed and promoted by Heritage lottery fund, creative Scotland Care Trust, community Global Trust, all funds used to promote this programme came from unclaimed winning prizes the previous year.

It claimed to be 'aimed at changing the lives of many people. We hope that with part of your winning, you will help the less privileged ones'.

The letter said the winnings could be claimed in 'the form of a certified cheque or if you request, by bank transfer directly into your bank account'.

The pensioner who did not wish to be named said that they recognised the scam after checking the internet but that he was worried others could be caught out.

"I knew the letter looked like a scam so I put the details into Google and that confirmed it," he said.

"There are vulnerable older people who could be caught out by this.

"I would encourage anyone who gets a letter which seems suspicious to consult with a friend or family member before taking any action."

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