A SPECIALIST crime squad has been set up to target bogus traders in Lancashire who deal over the internet.

The £150,000 unit was given the go-ahead by the new Minister for Consumer Affairs Melanie Johnson and will target dishonest traders on the internet and other trading standards computer related offences.

Part funded by a Department of Trade and Industry grant, the two-year project will be based in North Yorkshire and run by the Northern Counties Trading Standards Group -- an umbrella group which covers six counties including Lancashire.

A state-of-the-art crime room and forensic computer laboratory manned by computer experts will help crack down on internet-related crimes.

Dave Roderick, assistant chief trading standards officer for Lancashire County Council, said: "As far as I am aware there is no specific issue in Lancashire with internet trading although it is an area which is on the increase. Having this sort of unit with the specialist knowledge at hand will be wonderful."

Stuart Pudney, head of trading standards and regulatory services at North Yorkshire, said: "As each day passes the volume of consumer transactions undertaken over the internet increases. Virtually every type of product and service is available over the internet and consumers need to be protected from false descriptions, misleading prices, inaccurate credit deals and whole range of consumer related frauds."