CONSUMER watchdogs are urging people to think twice before chasing prizes advertised on free scratchcards.

Hartlepool Borough Council's trading standards department has been monitoring free scratchcards delivered with magazines after receiving calls from disappointed people.

The team has scratched a total of 90 cards, 18 different types in all, and was not surprised to find each one was a winner.

In all cases, the winner was required to call a premium rate telephone number. The calls cost £1 per minute, with each call notching up on average a £5 bill before the person can obtain the special claim number they needed to obtain their prize.

The prizes advertised on the cards ranged from £50,000 to wallets and pen sets.

Michael Welsh, from trading standards, said: "There are no prizes for guessing what the majority of winners would receive.

"Most people would therefore have spent up to £5 for a prize which they had not seen, and which might well not be worth the money they had spent to obtain it.

"A person might think they were one of only a small number of lucky scratchcard winners, but the reality is different. I would strongly urge people to think twice before they rush to call the premium rate telephone number."