Jessie, who works for Dundee East MP Stewart Hosie, is fed up of the sheer scale of these mail-scams.

She said, “Like many people, I have to put up with large quantities of this type of mail promising the Earth if only you send them a relatively modest sum as an ’administrative fee’ to claim it, or order some item you don’t want or need.

“I’m practically overwhelmed by the sheer quantity. I feel sorry for postmen having to deliver all this rubbish!”

MP Mr Hosie said, “The sheer scale of this is astonishing. The ‘sucker list’ of addresses of elderly or vulnerable people is being re-used time and time again by criminal gangs hiding behind post office box numbers. But the criminals do not do this for fun. They must be raking in a fortune by deceiving people, otherwise they would not do it.

“One of the most concerning things about this is that at least one of the letters, a form titled ‘Bank Payment Legislative Office’, advises Jessie, ‘Do not disclose the matter for now. Do not tell anyone that you are the beneficiary.’

“In this way, vulnerable people are tricked into not alerting others about what is going on.”

Mr Hosie took the issue of unsolicited prize draws up with the Minister for Business Enterprise at Westminster and has copies of an Office of Fair Trading leaflet How to Recognise a Scam: Is it Too Good To Be True? and a fact-sheet on Scam Promotions and Prize Draws which he is happy to send to anyone who thinks they might be at risk, or knows someone who might need advice.

The fact-sheet contains information on the enforcement powers of the Office of fair Trading who can take action against scam operators and the Advertising Standards Authority who can investigate breaches in the British Codes of Advertising and Sales Promotion.

“I can make available copies of the leaflet and fact-sheet for anyone who needs advice on how to deal with this type of harassment or how to protect vulnerable elderly people,” he said.

“Another way to protect yourself from this type of con is to register your address with the Mailing Preference Service.

“This reduces the amount of unsolicited mail you receive, thereby protecting you from misleading or malicious mailings.”