Business across Sussex are being warned to alert staff to conmen out for a quick profit.

The latest scam to be identified relies on businesses not understanding the process of notification under the Data Protection Act (DPA).

East Sussex County Council's Trading Standards Service has put out a warning following inquiries from a number of small firms.

The con trick usually involves a fake "official"

letter telling firms to register under the Act.

Some of the fake letters have included a demand for up to £95, including VAT, three times the standard amount for registration.

Notification under the DPA is a legal requirement for certain businesses that process personal information on computer.

In most cases, firms are exempt from notification.

If a firm processes data only for staff administration, including payroll, it needs not pay the annual statutory fee of £35, on which no VAT is payable.

East Sussex county councillor Meg Stroude, lead cabinet member for legal and community services, said:

"Our Trading Standards Service has received more than 50 inquiries, 14 in the last month alone, from local firms that have been targeted by these unscrupulous firms.

"Our officers are compiling the complaints and will send them on to the Information Commissioner, who is investigating ways to put a stop to this practice."

Companies that have parted with a notification fee of more than £35 should check whether their application was necessary.

If so, they should then check whether notification has been indicated.

Firms already under investigation include Data Protection Act Registration Service, Data Protection Registration Agency, Data Collection Enforcement Agency and Data Registration Agency.

Businesses that would like more details on whether they need to register should call the Information Commissioner's notification hotline on 0870 902 7522 or visit www.doineedtonotify.co.uk.

Commissioner Elizabeth France said she was concerned about the number of complaints her office had received about false information put out by the firms.

She said: "I advise data controllers to ignore any approach made by these businesses, who appear to be charging high fees for notification."

Other scams around at the moment include requests from individuals in Nigeria and Sierra Leone for bank details in exchange for a share in a £20 million fortune that can only be taken out of the country with the help of a friendly businessman. The fortune does not exist.