THE North-East and North Yorkshire has an unenviable place in the hearts of con artists, who net more than £1bn a year of other people's money nationwide.

Despite the best efforts of trading standards officers, householders across the region are no strangers to scams that originate from as far away as Nigeria and Canada.

Now, as part of a month-long campaign to protect the public, the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has issued a list of the top ten most common cons most likely to leave consumers out of pocket.

Experts say the reason many are so successful is because they capitalise on greed and the temptation to make a quick buck.

Detective Inspector Colin Gibson, head of Durham Police's economic crime unit, said: "A lot of it is thinking you are going to get something for nothing - but, in my experience, that doesn't really happen."

Christine Wade, of the OFT, said: "Scammers are resourceful, enterprising and manipulative."