Heartless scammers claiming to be psychics, clairvoyants and fortune tellers promising great fortune for a small price are using personalised letters to target vulnerable people.

Croydon Council’s trading standards team has issued a warning about the seemingly attractive con in a bid to give potential victims the foresight to ignore the letters as part of scams awareness month.

One unlucky Coulsdon resident was conned out of hundreds of pounds when she fell victim to the scam.

The elderly victim was plagued for weeks by letters from psychics and clairvoyants claiming they can give her good luck and forecasting she will win a large prize for a fee between £25 and £40.

The elderly woman received letters personally addressed to her, making the letters more engaging.

Believing the letters to be true, the woman tried her luck and sent hundreds of pounds to the scammers.

Croydon’s trading standards team is now working with the woman to help put a stop to letters being sent to her home.

The team receives reports of new mass-marketed scam letters on a weekly basis.

Some victims, particularly older or vulnerable people, receive hundreds of scam letters each week, according to the council.

Other too good to be true propositions being mailed to unsuspecting individuals include competition offers, prize winning claims and catalogue scams.

Councillor Hamida Ali, cabinet member for communities, safety and justice, said: “Every year, trading standards officers and police identify hundreds of victims of this kind of scam, many of whom have trustingly handed over large sums to the heartless rogues behind them.

“It’s hoped that, through the channel of scams awareness month, more people will learn of the ways and means by which these merciless crooks take advantage of people without a thought for the misery and hardship their actions cause.

“Fortunately, this case came to light before the victim lost too much but, had the scam gone on unchecked, there was the very real possibility of her losing her life savings – or more.”

The trading standards team is also warning home owners of doorstep scammers as scams awareness month, which runs throughout July, winds up Doorstep scammers offering goods and services that are of poor quality, are unnecessary, faulty, over-priced, or sometimes do not even exists.

In most cases the unsuspecting householder is unaware of the inflated price being offered as the sum agreed starts low but then escalates rapidly.

Victims are often billed for services that they did not ask for, or which were worth considerably less.

Callous scammers targeted an elderly Purley woman after her house caught fire, offering to repair the damage.

Ignoring the advice of trading standards officers the woman accepted a £70,000 quote and handed over £5,000 in cash as an initial payment.

She was later pressured by the scammers to hand over a further £30,000.

The matter is being investigated by the trading standards team.

To report a scam call Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or for advice call Citizens Advice on 03454 04 05 06.