A WORCESTER pensioner has warned others to ignore a chain letter urging people to join a pyramid-style cash scheme.

Mary Cale has called for people to snub the junk mail, which promises to make cash for participants.

"I think it's similar to the pyramid project that's been going round," said Mrs Cale, of Blackpole. "I remember the pyramid scheme from many years ago because my friend lost a lot of money through it.

"I'm a 75-year-old widow, and could have been taken in if something similar hadn't happened previously."

The scheme urges people to send a £10 cash gift to the name at the top of an enclosed 10-person list.

The contributor then removes the top name, moves the others up a place and adds themselves in position 10 before posting the letter to friends and family.

"I wouldn't get involved with this, but some people, especially those who are old, might," added Mrs Cale.

"And especially if you don't understand how it works.

Vulnerable

"I don't know how many of the leaflets they've sent out, but I live in an old people's bungalow.

"My neighbours might be vulnerable to this sort of thing."

A spokesman for Worcestershire Trading Standards said staff had not received any other complaints about this particular scheme.

"We do get complaints about things like this, but we've not had any about this particular letter," he said.

"We advise people to just put them in the bin.

"The problem we face is that it's difficult to trace the organiser and the origin of the letter."

Last year, the Women Empowering Women scheme swept the county.

Women were invited to hand over as much as £3,000, often within a group of friends, and were promised cash when they reached the top of the list.

Often, the lists ended without the contributors ever receiving money.