WILTSHIRE police has warned residents and business people to beware of con merchants using premium-rate 0900 phone numbers to fleece them of hundreds of pounds.

A number of different kinds of scam have come to the notice of the Wiltshire fraud squad and Detective Inspector Paul Ginger has issued warnings against a few of them

They include a scam in which mobile phone users receive a text message with details of a big cash prize and the reply number given is a premium-rate number starting with 0906.

DI Ginger said: "Unless the recipient is sure of the origin of this call, they are advised to delete the message immediately and ensure their phone does not reply to it.

"Those people who use pay-as-you-go phones will find their money very quickly spent."

In another case, a hotel was phoned and asked to fax details of accommodation, conference facilities etc back to the premium-rate number. Due to the length of time that the call takes, this can result in a very hefty bill.

DI Ginger said: "The number receiving the fax has no intention of ever using the facilities and receive a percentage of the costs of the call. This number also starts with 0906."

And in another case in the county, bed and breakfast establishments have been contacted by a company from a foreign country in the Far East who state that they have a number of nationals who want to visit the UK. The company asks for details of accommodation, directions, available dates and tariffs to be faxed to an international premium-rate number which starts with 00882.

DI Ginger said: "Over 50 bed and breakfast establishments in the area have fallen prey to this activity which results in a high phone bill."