Rushing to buy an air conditioner has left thousands of Britons out of money due to malicious scams. Cybersecurity experts warn that criminals are targeting desperate Britons trying to combat the heatwave through fake deals impersonating well-known brands and offering attractive sales on air conditioners.

Scammers have become so sophisticated that they even add fake customer reviews alongside authentic product photos. To make their attacks even more enticing, the criminals employ countdowns and time-limited deals, encouraging victims to act without thinking.

Olga Altukhova, cybersecurity expert at Kaspersky, said: "Pressuring buyers to act fast is one of the techniques scammers use.

"When demand spikes, warnings that only a few items are left or that a discount is about to expire can easily compel users to enter financial details or personal data."

Cybersecurity researchers have found examples of fake adverts for air conditioner deals being sent directly to customers' email accounts, ostensibly on behalf of well-known brands.

In one example reported by the Daily Mail, scammers created a near-perfect replica of the AiraBreeze brand's website, offering an amazing 75% discount on this popular fan. Anyone who pays never receives the product, while the scammers keep their card details and credentials.

Often, the sites look very similar to official websites of large retailers, such as Aldi, and ironically also include notices warning customers to "be wary of scams". A screenshot of such website shows a portable air conditioner being sold for nearly £150, with an urgent sale countdown in a red box above the product.

When users then put items into the basket, they get pressured to immediately complete their purchase, as the products can only be reserved for five minutes.

The sense of urgency makes it difficult for shoppers to notice the common signs of a scam website, such as unusual spelling errors, a fake URL or a bizarre site design.

To avoid falling victim to such scams, Altukhova advised: "Stay calm and double-check everything, especially the website's URL and design.

"If you're unsure about a site's authenticity, look it up in a search engine to verify it's legitimate, or use a security software to perform the check."