Eagle-Eyed George

Three decades of experience with the Inland Revenue meant eagle-eyed George Jeffrey was the wrong man to try to scam.

When he received an official looking letter demanding the sports club pay 95 plus VAT to register with the Data Protection Register something the club didn't have to do in the first place he decided to investigate a bit further.

And a few phones calls, as well as a bit of surfing on the internet, confirmed his suspicions.

George discovered an official government website which listed bogus companies, including the Data Protection Agency Services Limited which had sent the letter to the club.

"I was taken aback because it looked so official," he explained.

"What really caught my eye was the fact the documents didn't have a phone number on them just a PO box number. All government documents have phone numbers on them somewhere."

George also picked up on the name of the company.

"The Data Protection Agency is a government agency. Not a limited company," he said.

"My immediate reaction was that we had been mail-shot and I wondered how many other clubs had been," he said.

"I wondered how many people without the government service knowledge I have, would have been taken in.

"Someone is just trying to make a fast buck.

"You hear of these scams going on and it's just how quickly someone can identify them and get the message around," said George.

Trading standards has issued a warning reassuring West Sussex firms who need to register under the Data Protection Act they can do so for 35 not the 95 some companies are charging.

Head of trading standards, Patrick Bligh-Cheesman said: "My office has received a number of reports from businesses who say they have been misled by official-looking letters from such companies.

"I am particularly concerned by the tone and content of the correspondence being distributed.

"This may be yet another case of businesses in West Sussex being asked to pay for services they might not need."

Companies unsure if they have to register can visit a special website www.doineedtonotify.co.uk to find out. A self assessment guide is also available by telephoning 0870 9027 522.