Small businesses should be on their guard against fake invoices landing on their desks this summer.

Hoaxers are taking advantage of senior management being on holiday to trick more junior staff, the Advertising Standards Agency has warned.

Rogue traders, from Switzerland, Austria and the Czech Republic are distributing what look like urgent invoices.

Companies which pay them inadvertently sign up to a contract which forces them to continue paying for years.

Most of the "invoices" concern subscriptions to print or internet business directories.

Tuesday June 22, 2004