DEVIZES picture framing company Proframe has warned other local businesses of the latest phone scam which saw them receive a £290 bill for till rolls valued at £25.

Barry Smyth, who runs the company in New Park Street with business partner John Sansom, received a call last month from a woman with a heavy Asian accent.

He said: "I couldn't make out what she was saying to begin with, but it seemed to be all about credit card equipment, and she kept mentioning the name Streamline, which is the bona fide company that supplies the credit card terminals.

"I should have hung up, but I thought it might have been genuine. Ten minutes later she called back, asking to confirm our delivery address, which is what credit card companies do, of course."

At no time did Mr Smyth order any items from the company but, a couple of days later, Mr Smyth received a parcel containing two packs of paper rolls and several days after that an invoice for £290 arrived from France.

Mr Smyth said: "We rung them up and told them we didn't want this stuff and to come along and pick it up. But they just kept sending more and more letters threatening court action.

"We have spoken to the Office of Fair Trading, Streamline and Wiltshire Trading Standards and they have all told us not to pay."

Sue Wilkin from Wiltshire Trading Standards confirmed that they had received a number of complaints about Merchant Retail Supplies Ltd, the company whose name appears on the invoices.

She said: "Our advice is always not to pay, but contact Trading Standards as soon as possible."