TRADING standards officers are warning the public to beware of fake bank e-mails which could trick them into supplying account details - risking the security of their cash.

In a new scam, e-mails allegedly from HSBC and Barclays banks were sent to members of the public advising that an unauthorised third party has tried to access their account and consequently access must be restricted.

The e-mail then requests the account holder supplies details of their account, password and personal data in order to restore full access. Chepstow businessman Norman Heath, 63, managing director of Kitchen Delight, received such an e-mail this week and was immediately suspicious.

"If I'd done what was asked my account could have been accessed and all my money cleared out," he said. "I was suspicious of the e-mail as it had the wrong name on the top and the word confirmation was spelt incorrectly.

"The rest of it looked convincing, though, and some people could be gullible enough and fall for the trap."

Mr Heath contacted his bank immediately and was assured HSBC would never ask for confidential information in an e-mail.

Monmouthshire county council's Trading Standards issued a warning to the public confirming banks would never request information in this way. The scam was an example of many that were sent out to the public each week. Other companies, including the Halifax Building Society, were now carrying out warnings on their web pages stating they would never ask customers for personal signing details by e-mail.

A spokesman for Newport county council said there had been similar complaints concerning e-mails claiming to be from HSBC and Barclays banks. The information has been past on to the Office of Fair Trading and people were being warned to be extra cautious when providing details on the internet.