Police in South Lakeland are urging people to be wary of an email scam.

Officers have had reports of an email scam that involves an offender gaining access to someone's email account and emailing all of their contacts.

The email states that a person is on holiday or on a journey and have either lost their passport, documents, money, mobile phone or they have been stolen and asks for the recipient to send money by transfer.

Terry Belshaw a Community Safety Officer from Cumbria Constabulary said: “Sadly, some well meaning people have been duped by this scam only to realise that their friends are not in fact in trouble or even on holiday.

“If you receive an email that is similar to the one I have described, please take time to read it carefully and treat it with caution. Before sending any money, establish whether your friend is on holiday or in trouble – in this day and age it would be unusual for someone to have email facility and no telephone."

“Remember that giving out details over the phone or online can cause real problems if they fall into the wrong hands. If you feel that there is something suspicious about any contact you receive by phone or email, contact the Police on 101 or call your local Trading Standards via Consumer Direct on 08454 04 05 06.”