People in the Republic are being targeted in an international fraud where they are told they have won the Spanish lottery but are required to give a bank account number and other personal details before receiving the prize.
The Spanish Embassy in Dublin has received an increasing number of calls from Irish people who have received such letters, particularly over the last month.
A source at the embassy said the letters varied, but most wanted details of bank account numbers, others for passport numbers and some asked for money, in order to claim the prize. The Spanish lottery is held once a year just before Christmas . Tickets are sold like the lottery tickets here and nobody gave names and addresses.