BUSINESSES are being warned not to get caught in a new web of deceit that could cost them up to £270.

Lancashire County Council Trading Standards Service has become aware of invoices being sent to businesses requesting money to renew their internet domain name.

The bill is headed 'Domain Expiration Notice' and is sent out by a company using both a London and a Cambridge address. It states that the recipient's internet domain name is due to expire and requests a renewal fee of £60 for two years, £140 for five years or £270 for 10 years, even though Nominet UK (the .uk internet registry) only allows domain names to be renewed for two years at a time. The invoice tells the recipient that if the fee is not paid they may lose their domain name.

Paul Foster, policy executive at Chamber Business Connections said: "We urge businesses to be aware of this attempt to deceive. We understand that the company in question is being investigated by Trading Standards and the Office of Fair Trade."

"These notices are faxed or sent to businesses in the hope that somebody will agree to payment without looking in detail. Internal communications become increasingly important to make sure that scams like these do not mistakenly get passed for payment."