people are being warned to be on their guard against a Spanish lottery scam.

The warning -- from West Yorkshire Trading Standards Service -- comes after some people received letters stating they had won a substantial amount of money, which had been deposited with a security company.

During the processing procedure, the "winners" were asked to disclose their bank details.

Trading standards bosses said UK consumer protection law did not extend to overseas traders, so it would be difficult for people in this country to seek redress if they were conned.

Councillor Graham Clarke, chairman of the West Yorkshire Trading Standards Committee, said: "Consumers should ignore such schemes and not disclose their bank details, or any other information. If it sounds too good to be true it probably is, although such schemes should not be confused with official state lotteries."

Anyone with queries regarding such schemes should contact our helpline on 0113 3848 848, between 8.30am-6.30pm, Mon-day to Friday, or 9am-1pm Saturdays."

Chief trading standards officer Martin Wood said: "This is the first lottery scam that we have come across from Spain.

"Experience shows, however, that once one such scheme develops, others originating from the same country are likely to follow."