But you should think twice before you respond to any phone message, letter or e-mail claiming you've won a competition prize out of the blue.
Because those who do often end up on a "suckers list", their addresses and phone numbers sold on to con-men around the world, according to the Office of Fair Trading.
We heard from one pensioner who reckons he's spent around �20,000 on trying to claim prize draws.
He began by answering an advert in a newspaper, following his divorce.
"When you read the letters, they're so convincing, you think there's something to come," Eddie Kitt told us.
"But after seven years, I'm still waiting."
We talked to Colin Brown, of the Office of Fair Trading.
 Brown: the OFT sees thousands of similar cases |
"We get thousands and thousands of calls from people who have fallen victim to these scams," he told us.
"We are warning people that there's a lot they can do to equip themselves: ask the right questions and don't get suckered.
"This is organised crime."
And, we heard from Phillip Cullum of the National Consumer Council.
"A lot of this originates from overseas, so it's difficult to get your money back," he explained. "The real message is: don't get into problems in the first place"
According to the Office of Fair Trading, many scams follow a similar pattern.
They catch you unawares: so you should be on your guard if anyone says you've won a prize when you don't remember entering a competition.
They may sound plausible - but what they're offering is often too good to be true.
You should never send money upfront to them: whether it's an administration fee or tax - it's a con.
And you should never give out your bank details to anyone.
The OFT says that simply by responding to one contact, you could find your name and address on a "suckers list" which will be passed to other con-men around the world.
From one response, you could be bombarded with letters, texts and phone calls tempting you to reply.
Junk mail
Not all junk mail is a scam; neither is every unsolicited phone call.
But if they drive you mad, there is something you can do.
To deter telephone canvassers, you can register with the Telephone Preference Service (see the link on the right).
To get rid of junk mail, there is a similar service called the Mail Preference Service.
This is run by a trade body called the Direct Marketing Association, which keeps lists of people who don't like to receive mail-shots.
Registering with these organisations won't necessarily deter the con-artists, but it may help you keep track of the calls and letters you actually asked for.
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watch our interview in full with Colin Brown 
I have an 88-year old aunt in a residential home who is bombarded with this type of mail. For several years she was taken in by a number of the promises of large prize cheques in return for an administration fee of �10-20 a time. 
