HUDDERSFIELD people are being alerted to the dangers of bogus cash prizes - apparently offered by a local firm.

A Dewsbury couple were among people to get a letter from a company called Value Group saying they had won four cheques worth a total of £180,000.

But West Yorkshire Trading Standards Service is warning anyone who receives similar offers to ignore them.

Officers said these companies were based outside the UK, but used mail-forwarding agents in this country to tempt potential "winners."

Value Group is an Amsterdam- based firm, but has a Huddersfield mailing address.

West Yorkshire Trading Standards Service manager John Field said: "People who receive these letters should not get involved. They should throw them straight in the bin.

"Customers should be very wary as these companies operate under premium phone numbers and are often based abroad."

The Dewsbury couple were given four phone numbers to use to claim each cheque. It would have cost them at least £42 to make the calls.

Value Group says calls normally last seven minutes, at a landline rate of £1.50 per minute.

The Value Group website said the company had been providing marketing campaigns throughout the UK and Europe for several years.

It also stated that it selects potential customers who they believe will benefit from their unique range of promotions.

When the Examiner phoned the company's helpline it was continually unavailable, with a message saying "their operators were assisting other customers".

On Thursday the European Parliament voted to end such telephone prize scams.