A NEW scam letter informing people a man with the same surname as their own has been killed in an accident in China leaving a vast sum of money, is arriving on doormats in the Forest of Dean.

Those receiving copies are asked to keep its contents confidential but to contact the sender by email. After "all the necessary verification and application" the receiver would be made "beneficiary of these funds."

Copies of the letter have been handed in to the Review.

A man who received a letter said: "It is an obvious scam but people can fall for them. My advice is to destroy the letter immediately.

"The last paragraph made me smile as it refers to success and riches never coming easily. If, like me, you get a copy of the letter the best thing to do is bin it."