The Provost herself received a letter offering vast sums of money to her and is concerned that if they are received, especially by the more vulnerable members of the community or the elderly, they could be taken advantage of

Mrs Leslie Melville urged local residents to be vigilant after receiving a bogus letter claiming to be from a representative of the Emir of Sudan.

The Provost explained: "My concern is that perhaps an elderly person might be sucked in by this nonsense and taken advantage of and I feel by highlighting it, hopefully it will bring people's attentions to the sort of scams that are going on and being perpetrated by these unscrupulous individuals.

"I think people should be aware of this letter, which has a Spanish post mark, especially if they have elderly relatives, or anyone who feels they might have someone who is more at risk from this sort of nonsense. It's nothing short of scandalous."

The letter received by the Provost at her home address reads in somewhat broken English: "Dear Leslie Melville RJ, I know my letter to you will come as a surprise, but I have to contact you in this manner because of the urgency of my case which require an urgent attention.

"I am James Abdul Ali, the only surviving son of the Emir of Sudan and the head of the Makkure Clan of Southern Sudan. My dad and other members of the family have just been killed by the rebel Force in order to steal our land and possess the oil rich land of our clan. But before my dad died, in the traditional healer place, where he was tried to revive, he revealed to me about 22.5 million US dollars that he hid in the vault of Diplomatic Security Company in Spain with my name as the next of kin.

"I just arrived in Spain to claim the money and i need a foreign beneficiary to stand for me as my dad's foreign business partner, who will help James Abdul Ali the heir to the deposit boxes to receive it was stipulated by my dad in the Bond of Contract that was issue to him by the security company when he deposited the boxes.

"The management of the Diplomatic Security company is not aware of the true content of the boxes, because my dad told them that it is autocrats that is inside. So nobody, apart from you and i should be aware of what is inside the boxes. For the safety of my life and the security of the money inside the boxes, I am ready to negotiate with you what percentage you will want me to give you from the 22.5 million dollars inside the boxes after we have claim the boxes.

"I want you to also start to make arrangements for a house that I will buy and live in your country when I come. I will prefer a bungalow of nor more than four rooms in a very quiet area with good security. Please tell me how many per cent you want me to give when replying to me.

"And I want you to reply to me immediately, because I do not want to stay here long in Spain, but to claim the boxes immediately and travel out of Africa before my father's enemies get a clue of my where about and come after me.

"I have mapped out 25 per cent for your assistance and ten per cent for your expenses. God bless you for helping me. James Abdul Ali."

Needles to say, the Provost isn't planning any house-hunting trips on Mr Ali's behalf and urged anyone who receives similar communications to file them in the nearest bucket.