Olympic lottery scammers are impersonating the Church of England’s London 2012 representative to swindle personal details out of unsuspecting victims.

The scam, which has hit Surrey, sparked a warning from Surrey County Council’s trading standards department.

In a bogus letter, emblazoned with an imitation London 2012 logo and Olympic rings, recipients are told they have won more than £500,000.

It requests personal details which, if received, would likely be handed over to criminal gangs, often operating from abroad.

The letter is supposedly signed by the Reverend Canon Duncan Green, the Church of England’s Olympics co-ordinator and Locog’s head of multi-faith chaplaincy services.

Councillor Kay Hammond, Surrey’s cabinet member for community safety, said: “Impersonating the Church of England and using the Olympics to swindle people out of money is beyond contempt.

“This is a scam and the best thing you can do if you receive such a letter is to throw it in the bin or shred it.

“All manner of criminals will be looking to use the Olympics as a chance to make money through various cons and swindles.

“Trust your instincts. If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.”