Trading standards officers have warned people to steer clear of an email which promises to pay out millions.

The email, which could have been sent out to thousands of addresses, is titled Business Proposal.

Its sender, who is called Dr Jonny Etuwe from Nigeria, asks for help to transfer £41.5 million into a foreign account.

In return for helping move the money, said to be acquired from sales of crude oil during the Gulf War, the email promises a cut of more than £8 million.

Barry Render, of Upper Kingston Lane, Shoreham, said he was instantly suspicious after receiving the message on his cable television email account.

He said: "It is obviously a way of getting money and financial details out of people.

"I've heard of things like this being sent as a letter but never as an email. Hopefully people will immediately delete it."

The email gives a Californian phone number for people interested to call and leave a message. The number is an electronic messaging service, which works like a PO box number and cannot be traced.

A spokesman for Brighton and Hove trading standards said: "This is a variation on a familiar scam and we would advise people to stay well clear of it.

"The National Criminal Intelligence Service has a unit investigating this and other related scams."