WARNINGS have been issued about the latest set of "get-rich-quick" letters currently dropping onto the doormats and into the email accounts of homes and businesses in York.

The city's trading standards chiefs have advised residents to ignore the letters, which claim to be from Africa and which have been both posted and emailed to York residents.

All speak of a business proposal, and ask the recipient to hold millions of U.S. dollars in their bank account, to be transferred back to the sender at a later date.

They claim whoever temporarily holds the cash will get a large share of it in return.

Liz Levett, City of York Council's trading standards manager, said: "They are scams, and if you get one of these letters then you should rip it up."

One of the letters, which says it was sent from the Democratic Republic of Congo, asks the reader to hold $22m. The sender, who says he is called Julius Emade, claims he was asked to look after the money by the late Congolese President Mobutu.

Another is said to have been sent from Nigeria-based Johnson Peters, who asks the reader to hold $10.4m.

Mr Peters claims the money was deposited by a now-dead oil company consultant in the bank where he works as a supervisor.

And a third is said to have been sent by Mgomeni Grote, an executive accountant with the South African department of finance of mineral resources and energy.

Mr Grote claims to have $21.5m in overdue payment bills.

Ms Levett said: "They've been trying this method for years.

"The schemes are fraudulent. Anyone tempted to get involved in such a deal and divulge information will not only fail to receive any money, but may lose a substantial sum."

Updated: 09:57 Saturday, December 28, 2002