Pembrokeshire County Council's Trading Standards team has receieved numerous contacts from small businesses in the county who have received unsolicited letters from a business called the Data Protection Registration Agency of Aintree, Liverpool.

The letter requests a cheque for £95 for registration under the Data Protection Act 1998 and states: 'Final Notice - your business has still not submitted Notification to the Information Commissioner. Failure to register is a criminal offence.'

Businesses feel misled that this letter is designed to appear as an official communication, with failure to reply and register a criminal offence.

This, and other agencies, are not connected with the Information Commissioner and are charging high fees for their services.

If a company needs to register under the Act they can contact the Information Commissioner on 01625 545740 for more information and by dealing direct the annual fee is £35.

The Office of Fair Trading has obtained injunctions against four individuals running such companies and is considering taking action against several others who are offering such services.

If you receive such a letter and consider it misleading, please contact the council's Trading Standards duty officer on 01437 776209 who will pass the information to the Office of Fair Trading for its consideration.