THE communications explosion may have made the world a global village, but it lacks a bobby.

That is what computer-users in East Lancashire are finding out after falling victim to an international scam.

They have been sweet-talked on the telephone into buying computer disks from California and membership of a software club - in exchange for their credit card details.

But what they have got is software samples that are not very good and a string of debits from their bank accounts for goods not received at all.

Yet trading standards officials here can only warn computer-owners to be wary as our consumer protection rights do not cross international borders.

So take care when you plug into the global communications network.

For though it may shrink the world, it has also made it a bigger place for the sharks.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.