A PENSIONER is warning others to be vigilant after she was sent a letter telling her she had won a prize of nearly £2,000.

But after scrutinising the fine print, Betty Myles, 72, realised it said to claim the prize of £1,976.25 she had to send a cheque or postal order for £14.95.

Trading Standards chiefs today warned others not to be fooled by the "con".

She said: "I can't understand it. No doubt a lot of people will have got them, and some may be conned by them. At first glance I thought if I sent the money they were asking for, they would send me the prize money."

But the alert grandmother, from Whalley New Road, Blackburn, wasn't fooled.

She said: "I took a second glance and thought twice. If it stops someone else being conned it is worth it. If anyone else gets one take a second glance and think about it."

Betty smelt a rat when the letter asked her to send the money to a postal box in Rotherham. The company is not listed anywhere.

Chris Allen, chief trading standards officer for Blackburn and Darwen praised Betty's alertness and asked others to ignore the swindle.

He said: "Most of these letters turn out to be unestablished and, in common parlance, 'a con'. These companies target the post codes of towns, they will then block send the letters.

"Our warning would be not to send money to anyone - keep it in your pocket.

"When you send them back these letters just go into a prize draw where you have just as less a chance as winning this as any other of these kind of claims. Just tear it up and throw it away."