WATCHDOGS in the telecommunications sector say warnings about a premium rate calls scam to North-East home owners is nothing more than an elaborate hoax.

Last week, trading standards officers in the region issued a warning after receiving complaints that the conmen were targeting the North-East.

It was said the deception took place when people received a recorded message informing them they had won an all-expenses paid holiday and were asked to press 'nine' to hear further details. It was then claimed that callers were connected to a £20 per minute premium rate line that would still charge them for a minimum of five minutes, even if they disconnected, immediately. It was also claimed that, if callers stayed connected, the entire message lasted for approximately 11 minutes, costing up to £220.

The news prompted a warning from officials in Sunderland who said: "We would advise anyone receiving such a call to hang up immediately and certainly not to press nine as instructed."

But, according to the International Committee for the Supervision of Standards of Telephone Information Services (ICSTIS), the story is fictitious nonsense.

A spokesman said: "We have received hundreds of inquiries about this so-called scam, which is being publicised by e-mail. The story simply isn't true.

"A £20 per minute premium rate tariff does not exist. The highest premium rate tariff available is £1.50 per minute.

"Despite the hundreds of inquiries received by ICSTIS about this scam - and most have heard about it second or third-hand - not one person who claims that it has actually happened to them has been able to produce a phone bill to support their story."

Officials said anyone who receives an e-mail about the scam should delete it immediately.