A FOREST businessman was shocked when an official-looking form demanding Data Act registration and a £95 fee landed on his doormat.

"We nearly fell for it, especially as it said there was a £5,000 fine if I did not," said Dave Edgar, former licensee of the Courtfield at Lydbrook and now helping run the Gamekeepers Inn at Five Acres.

"However I looked at it closely and asked for advice and it seems although the firm is not actually breaking the law what they are doing is highly immoral – they are not the official agency.

"This is a private enterprise. They are offering to register your business at a highly inflated fee and banking on people just sending the money off without quibble. And 99 per cent of the businesses who get these notices probably do not need to register for Data Protection anyway."

The Review checked the matter with Trading Standards in Gloucester who agreed this was very much the case.

"The position is that most people should check they actually need to register before they act and if they do, they can deal directly with the Data Protection Agency anyway, when the fee is just £35," said a spokesman.

"The Office of Fair Trading has been looking into some of these firms and as a result action may be taken against them."

Dave Edgar said if anyone was in doubt about registration they should take the advice of their accountant before parting with any money.

"I just wanted to raise the issue to stop people falling for this trap," he said.