THURROCK residents are being warned of a letter scam that is offering them the chance to win an unclaimed fortune.

Stephen Metcalfe, local MP for South Basildon and East Thurrock, has received a letter which claims to be from a Chinese investment banker. It offers recipients to share in the fortune of a deceased person who goes by the same surname.

Mr Metcalfe said: “I wanted to make my constituents aware of this new scam which uses personal information to prey on vulnerable people. Receiving this in the post is a lot more intrusive than the hundreds of email scams in circulation but it doesn’t make it more viable. I would advice my constituents to bin any such mail immediately and to ensure that they do not make contact with these predatory criminals.”

“Remember the old adage - If it seems too good to be true, it is too good to be true!”

The Post Office has been informed of the letters and they are now doing all they can to trace the perpetrators.