CONSUMER watchdogs have introduced a new service for businesses, giving them an early warning against scam operators.

North Yorkshire's trading standards officers launched the Internet Newsflash service yesterday allowing businesses to receive information directly from trading standards by e-mail.

North Yorkshire's business and consumer services director, Gordon Gresty, said: "Businesses today are bombarded with demands for payment, junk mail and unsolicited calls from sales people.

"Some unscrupulous individuals try to take advantage of the fact that business people are busy and may not always check things in the detail that they should.

"For example, they send false bills to companies in the hope that they will be paid without proper checks being made.

"Apart from scams, we have a lot of information that is directly relevant to businesses. The Internet is a great way to get that information quickly to those who need it.

"While trading standards staff can give general advice over the phone, from now on businesses in North Yorkshire can also get information directly by e-mail so that they will be ready if they get a call from a scam operator."

To use the new service, businesses should e-mail to trading.standards