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A Caversham cyclist has unmasked what appears to be a money scam in the form of a message in a bottle.

Tom Fenton, from Marsack Street, was cycling along the Thames Path on Thursday when he noticed three identical bottles with a rolled-up piece of paper inside, floating in the river.

He managed to fish two out, which had an identical typed note inside.

It read: Dear Friend, I am pleased that this letter has reached you safely. I was given your name as an honourable and upright person to do business with.

Let me introduce myself; I am Umsloppogas Adinga a barrister working in the Nigerian inheritance court and have been assigned to the estate of a Mr Bates who has left an unclaimed estate totalling £4,500,000.

If left, the money would revert to the government and I want to get the money safely to a western bank account. If you will allow me to use your bank account for this purpose, I would be happy to render 10 per cent of the estate to you as a fee for helping me with this transaction.

If you are happy to help me with this, please email me at neeeeeep@yahoo.com with your details so that we can progress this and once you have paid any fees necessary the money can be transferred to your account. May the lord bless our business arrangements.

Yours faithfully, Barrister Adinga (aka Impro)

Mr Fenton was unable to reach the third bottle, but said it looked identical to the others.

“It must be a joke,” he explained. “I got the bottles out of the water because I was intrigued, but I am assuming it is a scam, the message in the other bottle was exactly the same.”

Mr Fenton disposed of the first bottle in a bin.

Police spokeswoman Rhianne Pope said: “Only give out your personal details when absolutely necessary and when you trust the person you are talking to.

“Treat personal details like you would money. Don’t leave them lying around for others to see and take.

“Be wary of who you give your personal details to in the street (eg charities, products, competitions etc). Do not sign up for anything until you have researched the company or charity.

“Never send money to anyone you don’t know.

“Do not send any money or pay fees to claim prizes or lottery winnings.

“Avoid transferring or sending any refunds or overpayments back to anyone you do not know.”