Excited winners soon find out they have been duped

Sergeant Barry Elliot, from Ontario, will speak at a Highlands Council trading standards event for groups who work with vulnerable people.

Thousands of UK residents have already fallen victim to fraudulent lottery schemes on the Canadian national lottery.

Winners have to pay an administration charge to collect their winnings.

Victims have been contacted by telephone or by letter by people claiming to be from lottery organisations.

They are told they have won a significant amount of money - usually about 120,000 to 130,000 Canadian dollars - but that cash advances were needed to pay government taxes before it could be released.