January blues? Longing for an escape to the sun? Perfect timing for criminals to cash in

The big sell: scammers lure people, often on social media, with hard-to-resist bargain offers. Photograph: AlexPhotoStock/Alamy

You are battling the January blues and see a cheap deal on one of your socials for a two-week break in Spain during August. Better still, the price is £200 cheaper than elsewhere, possibly because the holiday is almost sold out.

When you text to confirm the details after making the payment, you are talked through the booking by a convincing contact.