What would you do if someone called you up and offered you some free cash? Bite off their hand? Or say no, in case they were actually after your money?

At the start of October the directory enquiries service 118 118 ran a promotion where it gave away £118 to randomly picked callers. But it was flummoxed when a large proportion of winners simply didn't want the money.

Every person who called the service was entered into the "draw" to win £118. The promotion was advertised on a number of commercial radio stations, but because of licensing laws the company was not allowed to tell callers they were being entered to win.

Instead, lucky winners were promptly called back by 118 118. They were told they had won the money, and if they wanted it they were asked to give their name and address for a cheque to be sent in the post.

Of the 288 selected winners, 89 refused the money - mostly, it seems, because they were worried they were in danger of becoming a victim of a scam.

With scams costing millions every year and fraudsters inventing new and varied ways of ripping off consumers every day, should 118 118 be surprised that people were so reluctant to take up the offer of free cash? We're always warning people not to give out their personal details to unsolicited callers, so should legitimate companies ask people to do just that? Would you have been suspicious?