TRADING Standards have warned computer owners to ignore e-mail requests from overseas which could appear as a way of getting rich quick.
Coun Chris Humphries, the Aldbourne parish, district and county councillor, is among the people to receive one of the e-mails from Africa asking for bank account details.
Coun Humphries said: "I realise these things are a scam but there may be people who think they are on to a good thing and it could cost them."
Trading Standards officer Nigel Baker said his office had received a number of reports of e-mail requests from west and central African countries, including Zimbabwe and Nigeria.
"All these things are a scam. They either ask for money or for your bank account details so that they can send you money," he said. "If you give them your bank details then sit back and watch your money being siphoned out."
The message received by Coun Humphries said the sender wanted to transfer 23 million US dollars into his account for him to invest in hotel industries in the UK.
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