BROMLEY has seen an emergence of scams designed to rip people off by obtaining their personal financial details.

Bromley Trading Standards says the cleverly worded scams, which come in letter form and on the phone, involve the victim being told they have won a big lottery prize or are entitled to a form of financial rebate.

Councillor Tim Stevens, Executive Member for Public Protection and Safety, said: "Trading Standards are aware of people who have seen their money go down the drain as con artists rip them off by promising lottery wins, work on their home or a new job only to find there is nothing at the end.

"I urge people to be on the look-out for rogues who aim to make money at the expense of others.

"Don’t forget that scams are crimes so it is vital they are reported."

New national figures show over 22,000 reports of scams have been made to the Citizens’ Advice service in England and Wales in the last 12 months.