POLICE have warned small businesses to be on the alert after cheats started to target firms with an advertising scam.

The conmen are claiming to be offering cheap advertising space on items such as menus, desktop blotters and calendars.

But when the offers are taken up they use the information they receive to siphon off cash from the company accounts.

A number of companies in North Yorkshire have been targeted by the cheats, who are believed to operating from outside the county.

They cold-call or send out letters, but when cheques are sent back to them the details of bank accounts are copied and then used to fraudulently withdraw cash.

Detective Constable Ian Illingworth, of the county's fraud squad, said people should be wary when dealing with companies operating in that way which they have not heard of.

"Check them out and see if anyone can recommend them. Use commonsense and remember that if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is," he said