Police are warning students to be careful when they are looking for accommodation for the next academic year.

Since the end of May, there have been ten occasions where students have paid a deposit to a fraudulent landlord for a flat or a room and subsequently lost the money.

The landlord has asked for a deposit before allowing the student to view the property and have insisted that the money be sent via money transfer companies such as Western Union or Moneygram. In the ten occasions, nine of the properties have been in Oxford and one was in Abingdon.

All had been advertised through websites,

PC Claire Beach said: "I would like to urge students to be sensible and vigilant when they are looking for places to stay next year.

The web portals have security advice available on screen before making any payments, and this advice should always be noted.

"It is advisable that students are aware that of these scams before send their deposit money through.

I appeal to anyone who has been a victim and not yet reported it to the police or has any information that can help me with my investigation to contact me."

Anyone with information which could help the police should contact PC Beach at Oxford police station via 0845 8 505 505, or if you don't want to talk to the police or give your name, call the Crimestoppers charity on 0800 555 111.