A con artist is targeting businesses by pretending he is an advertising rep from the Watford Observer.

We have been alerted to the fact that a man, who called himself ‘Ben’ and said he worked for Newsquest, telephoned a firm.

He offered an advert for £22 and took the unsuspecting business owner’s bank details by phone, promising to call in the following day.

But not long after, she received a phone call from the bank saying someone had tried to withdraw £1,700 from her account.

The man did not give his surname or phone number.

The Watford Observer would like to clarify we would not use such a tactic to secure a deal.

If you are suspicious you may be falling victim to a scam, call the office on 01923 216 360 in order to confirm whether you are speaking to a legitimate representative.