Devon and Cornwall Police have warned people not to fall victim to a new online scam doing the rounds on Facebook Messenger and PayPal.

It has been shared by their colleagues in City of London Police and involves fraudsters pretending to be a family member of friend of the victim, asking to use their account.

A Devon and Cornwall Police spokesperson said: "Please be aware of any message appearing to come from friends or family requesting to use your PayPal account to receive funds for the sale of items on eBay, such as a camera, and saying they can’t process the payment because their own account is not working.

"The request is that you receive the funds into your own PayPal account then, after transferring it into your bank account, you forward it onto an account controlled by the fraudster.

"If you agree, the payment is transferred into PayPal account but, after the money is transferred out, the initial transaction is reversed leaving your account in negative balance."

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They said that to stay safe people should remember these tips:

- Verify financial requests: Be wary of unusual messages asking for assistance with financial transactions. Even if the message appears to be from someone you know and trust, you should check it’s really them that sent the message by calling them or speaking with them in person.

- Watch for unusual financial requests: Never respond to any requests to send money, or have money transferred through your account, by someone you don’t know and trust.

- Secure your accounts: You can protect your important online accounts by using a strong separate password and, where available, turn on two-factor authentication.

- If you have made a payment: Inform your bank, or payment service provider, such as PayPal, as soon as possible. They can help you prevent any further losses. You should also monitor your bank statements regularly for any unusual activity.

If you have been a victim of fraud or cyber crime you can contact www.actionfraud.police.uk or call 0300 123 2040.