POLICE and trading standards bosses are warning women not to be duped into joining a widespread money-making scheme believed to be heading for the county.

The "Women Empowering Women" pyramid selling scheme invites investors to contribute £3,000 for a return of £24,000 by recruiting more people to join.

Police say it is already operating in some parts of the North West like Manchester and Liverpool, though is not believed to have a base.

It is only open to women, who are asked to recruit a further eight people to join the scheme.

Police said although the scheme seemed to guarantee a healthy profit, it was unlikely anybody who joined up would see any cash.

They are warning people not to put money into the scheme, although it does not break any criminal laws and the people operating the scheme are unlikely to face prosecution. The new scheme has raised fears of a repeat of the infamous Titan pyramid scam in the mid 1990s when thousands of people across Lancashire were duped into handing over thousands of pounds.

The scheme invited investors to attend cult-like meetings, complete with rousing music.

They were promised huge profits in return for investing £3,000 and recruiting new members. The scam was wound up at the High Court in London after being described by the Department of Trade and Industry as an illegal lottery.

A police spokesman warned people to steer clear of the new scheme. He said: "These types of schemes are not controlled by law and anyone who loses money will have no recourse to civil or criminal action.

"Any losses are unlikely to be recouped so our advice is not to put money into a scheme like this."