Police have issued a warning regarding an advert appearing in magazines and national newspapers offering a range of electronic goods at discounted prices.

The adverts have appeared in several newspaper and magazine publications, including Stuff, The Independent, The Metro, and The Belfast Telegraph. The adverts appear under different names including “Arash Ltd, The Gadget Company, Gadget Limited, Office Bits Warehouse, Office Supplies Cabin and Office Brands Megastore.”

All link to an easymailorders.com email contact, with a postal address either in Manchester or Peterborough. The advert also contains land and mobile telephone numbers. Police are reportedly blocking these telephone numbers, although new adverts are appearing with different contact details.

Some customers who phone these numbers are being told the credit card machine is broken and asked to transfer money directly into various bank accounts.

The police have also warned that there is a second aspect to this scam. Once a delivery has been ordered a false card is posted from a company calling itself “Parcel Express UK”. It asks the recipient to phone a number and pay a customs fee via credit or debit card. These details are then used fraudulently.

If you believe you have been the victim of fraud then contact Consumer Direct on 08454 040506 or visit www.consumerdirect.gov.uk and please report the crime to the City of London Police at ophukka@cityoflondon.police.uk.