Internet fraudsters are in operation all over the world, tricking people out of their money on a daily basis.

Detective Constable Greg Brunt, part of the local team looking into the scams, told the Evening Post: "We get about 25 calls a week in Bristol and in most of those cases we aren't able to get people's money back because it's already left the country.

"We know that these are difficult economic times and we hope that by giving people the right advice we'll be able help to stop them losing their hard earned money.

"I want to alert people to the dangers of paying for goods by wire transfer.

"Many internet scammers pretend to have goods for sale and ask for people to pay via wire transfer companies such as Western Union and MoneyGram.

"It's very difficult to trace the money and can be taken out instantaneously once the funds have been transferred.

"You have to ask yourself why you would need to send a wire money transfer to a seller in this country when you can just as easily send a bank transfer?

"If something doesn't seem right, it's often because it isn't.

"My advice to anyone is to always use your intuition and question anything that doesn't add up."

Student Adam Kamal, 23, of Filton Avenue, and his girlfriend Sue Nordin, wanted to get a Siberian husky and saw an advert on the internet ad site Gumtree.

Mr Kamal said: "The advert said that Siberian husky puppies needed a good new home and only transportation costs would be payable.

"I sent an email to them and the reply had a telephone number for us to ring.

"He said the puppies were in Scotland and they would arrange for a company to courier them to my place.

"The courier company contacted me and said the puppies were stuck in Manchester.

"They asked for money to pay for injections and kennel bills. It was one thing after another but the company had its own website and a valid phone number so we thought it was genuine."

Mr Kamal ended up paying around £600 to the firm.

When the puppies never arrived, Mr Kamal realised he had been conned and went to the police.

But because he had made payments by Moneygram there was nothing that could be done.

DC Brunt said: "This couple weren't the only ones in Bristol who fell for this scam. We received a number of complaints from members of the public telling us the same story.

"It's always tempting when you see something a lot cheaper to take that option. But always remember, if something looks too good to be true it's usually because it is.

Mr Kamal did eventually get a Siberian husky, Willow, two, – but only after he had seen her first.

Top tips to keep safe when using wire money transfers

Don't use a wire transfer to send money unless you are 100 per cent sure that the person you are dealing with is legitimate

Never send money via a wire transfer to one of your family members to prove financial capability. This is a common scam. Scammers then use fake ID such as driving licences and passports to get the money out on the other side. There are other options to prove you have funds, such as sending a bank statement but with your personal details edited out.

Scammers often work from overseas and have poor literacy skills. If you spot an advert that is in poor English but the seller is saying they are from the UK check it out before you send any money.

Scammers won't want to talk to you in person. Ask for a telephone number if you have doubts about their legitimacy. If you call someone who says they are from the UK and you hear an overseas dialling tone, then you know that they are lying to you