Normally cons and fraud are no laughing matter.

However an apparent fake letter from Barclays bank is so obviously not legitimate it has to be a joke.

For instance, it actually warns people that their debit card might catch fire.

People have been posting the letter on social media to point out how hilariously poor it is - as it attempts to con people out of their cash.

What is in the letter?

The letter starts well with the Barclays logo at the top, however then things start to go down hill.

Firstly it starts with "Dear Costumer".

Next they inform their "costumer" that debit cards have been catching fire in people wallets and that they are ordering an "URGENT safety recall" as a "precushion".

It is not clear if they have misspelled precaution or if a pre-cushion is a safety measure to minimise the damage from any explosion.

The letter then goes on to tell people that "your card could create a fire at any given moment, burning your legs and stomach terribly". The error was blamed on an error in their aptly-named factory in Molton Keynes.

As poor costumers rush to check for fire extinguishers and fire blankets lest their legs and stomach get burnt terribly, they are offered a way out.

They can return the card to the company along with their "name, address and pin number". If this should arise any suspicion then they are swiftly put at ease. The letter states that the pin is for "verification porpuses only and will be destroyed immediately on a rival".

It is unclear who this rival or verification sea mammal are.

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The return address at least seems legitimate as it is at the "Barclays Debit Card Factory on Bangalore Lane in Bangalore".

If you have been affected this ingenious con please contact the WalesOnline fraud unit at 123 Fake Street, in Springfield, USA.

The full letter