A VIGILANT businesswoman has foiled confidence tricksters who are attempting to deprive the region's businesses of thousands of pounds.

Christine Bewley, director of Aycliffe Fabrications, received a letter from an organisation calling itself Crown Data Collection Agency.

She said: "The letter came with an introduction sheet and several pages of very official- looking forms.

"It said that the company was not registered under the Data Protection Act, which constitutes a criminal offence, and we had to send a cheque for £95 back to Crown Data at an address in Cheshire, together with the completed forms.

"Luckily, although I do not know a great deal about data protection, something did not seem quite right and I queried the letter with my secretary, who searched the Internet and soon found out that this was a scam.

"I am so pleased that we did not just fill in the forms and send the money.

"The letter and forms are very convincing and I am sure that busy companies have been taken in."

Data protection registration is dealt with by the Information Commissioner's Office.

Other than paying the annual statutory notification fee of £35, on which no Vat is payable, there is absolutely no charge made by them to any data controller wishing to notify and register.