SOMERSET'S private car sellers are being warned of a potential internet shipping scam.

People who have advertised their cars on the worldwide web are being sent cheques by a foreign purchaser.

A police spokesman said: "This includes extra money, normally a couple of thousand pounds, to cover the costs of shipping the car.

"The victims are then contacted by a shipping agent who asks them to send the shipping costs to them.

"But people aren't waiting for the cheque from the purchaser to clear and are sending cheques or wiring funds to the supplier, later finding out the original cheque bounced."

For the full story see this week's edition of the Somerset County Gazette.