With the weather finally warming up you might be on the lookout for a hot summer deal.

However, be cautious of “too good to be true” offers on flights and/or accommodation. Criminals may advertise holiday packages at rock-bottom prices using fake payment pages to obtain your personal and financial information. Remember, if it looks too good to be true, it probably is!

If you are going overseas, make sure your card company has your up-to-date contact details so they can contact you if there is an issue with your card while you are abroad.

Only take debit and credit cards that you intend to use, leave the others securely at home. Always keep your passport, ID and bank card safe when travelling as criminals can try to steal them, or the information on it.

It’s also a good idea to keep your bank and credit card company’s 24-hour telephone number with you in case you need to contact them while you are away.

If you use a card machine aboard, make sure you cover the machine when you’re entering your PIN and check your bank statement when you get home for any transactions you don’t recognise.

Cyber-security experts are warning about a wave of opportunistic hacking attempts in the wake of the recent global IT outage that followed Crowdstrike’s latest software update.

Fraudsters have reportedly created fake websites offering “CrowdStrike support”. These websites will attempt to trick users into downloading malicious software or handing over their personal information.

If you have been affected by the Crowdstrike update, be sure to only act on information from the official CrowdStrike channels.

If you think your personal or financial information might have been stolen, call your bank immediately and report it to Action Fraud.

It's been a busy couple of months in court for our fraud fighting Trading Standards officers, who have successfully convicted two more criminals.

Robin MacDonald, aged 45, of Park Row, Bretby, Burton-on-Trent has been sentenced to seven years in prison and a 10-year directorship ban after conning elderly and vulnerable residents out of a total of £1.5million as part of a renewable energy and home improvement scam. Read the full story.

Barrie Parkin, aged 73, of no fixed address, built one of the worst extensions that a surveyor had ever seen. He was found guilty of participating in a fraudulent business carried out by a sole trader and given a three-year prison sentence. Find out more.

If you are looking to have building or home improvement work carried out, always get a second opinion from someone you trust and get written quotes from at least three different contractors before you decide on one.

If you or someone you know has experienced fraud like this, we would urge you to report it. If you suspect that rogue traders are operating in your area, please contact Trading Standards on 0808 223 1133.

Jack is a ten-year-old cocker spaniel who has been helping our Trading Standards officers tackle the sale of illegal vapes and illicit tobacco. Jack has been specifically trained by his owner Julie to sniff out nicotine products.

Over the last few months Jack’s super sniff has helped to detect almost 750 illegal vapes and tobacco products in two raids in Nottinghamshire. Some of the illicit vapes that he discovered were found to contain 15 times more puffs than are legally permitted.

When he is not using his super sense of smell to fight crime, he enjoys chasing his favourite ball and burning off his endless energy running through the woods.

Remember, if you see any tobacco products or vapes being sold to people who you believe are under 18, or you believe a business is selling unregulated products, you can report this to Trading Standards by contacting the Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 0808 223 1133.

Criminals offering you fake investment opportunities go to great lengths to appear legitimate.

They might have fake registration numbers, authorisation documents and personal testimonies about their offer. They may even give you access to portals in which you can manage your portfolio.

Follow these tips to keep yourself safe from this type of fraud:

• Avoid clicking on social media ads which offer high returns on investment.
• If you’re contacted unexpectedly by phone, email or social media, do your research first.
• If you’re offered a high return on your investment with apparently little or no risk and it is also exclusive to you, this is a huge red flag.

You can check if an investment or pension opportunity you’ve been offered could potentially be a scam by taking the FCA’s ScamSmart test.