It's coming up to Christmas, and you might have gift cards on your mind. The perfect present choice for many scenarios - but also the perfect weapon for criminals.

So what turns these versatile gifts into gold dust for criminals? That's what Shari Vahl, Elisabeth Carter and Alex Wood will be finding out, along with the shocking story of Sarah, who thought she was helping out her boss while on work experience but ended up buying £1,300 in gift cards for criminals.

As always, the team will get under the skin of the scam, hearing how criminals target their victims and why even a simple LinkedIn post could put you at risk.

PRESENTER: SHARI VAHL

PRODUCER: TOM MOSELEY

WhatsApp is part of our daily lives – and criminals know how to weaponise that trust.

In this episode, Shari Vahl and the team hear how a devastatingly simple trick handed the keys for a Scam Secrets listener's WhatsApp account to a scammer. Along with expert linguist Dr Elisabeth Carter and former criminal Alex Wood, Shari finds out what the hacker did next - and how an old friend was tricked into handing over money.

As ever, there will be red flags waving to show you what to watch out for - and essential tips from our guest expert to keep your account secure.

PRESENTER: SHARI VAHL

PRODUCER: TOM MOSELEY

You might be on the lookout for work - so when a message arrives with a job offer, the timing is perfect. This is what happens to the people who are drawn in by the fake recruitment text scam that has been bombarding people's phones.

Shari Vahl, Dr Elisabeth Carter and Alex Wood hear how one man was lured in with promises of payment for simple tasks - then trapped in a cycle of payments and false earnings, even unwittingly becoming a money mule for the criminal pretending to be his boss. Just to ramp up the psychological pressure, his 'co-workers' were also in on the act.

The Scam Secrets team will dissect the criminals' methods, revealing what lies behind this extremely common and seemingly innocuous text message. And they'll wave their red flags so you can safely steer clear of what could turn out to be a very expensive job offer.

PRESENTER: SHARI VAHL

PRODUCER: TOM MOSELEY

You've just been scammed. The red flags didn't work this time and criminals have stolen your money. Your mind's all over the place. Will you ever see that cash again? In this special episode of Scam Secrets, Shari Vahl and a cast of experts walk you through the process so you know your rights. She'll point out the factors that improve your chances of a refund - as well as the dreaded circumstances that could mean your money is lost forever. And they'll walk you through the crucial steps you should take as soon as you realise what has happened, because the actions you take in the aftermath can have a big impact on getting your money back. For this episode, Shari is joined by David Geale, executive director of the Payment Systems Regulator, Richard Daniels, head of fraud at TSB and Paul Hampson, director at CEL Solicitors.

PRESENTER: SHARI VAHL

PRODUCER: TOM MOSELEY

You've probably got the scam Winter Fuel Payment text at least once. You might well have ignored it. But what happens when the criminals hit the jackpot, the circumstances fit, and you try to take up the offer?

That's what happened to Peggy - and in this episode her experience is analysed by Scam Secrets regulars Shari Vahl, Dr Lis Carter and Alex Wood.

With the help of a convincing but very fake website, a one time passcode trick and the mind games that scammers deploy, the criminals wanted to go on a shopping spree on Peggy. But just as they were getting ready to splash her cash, an unexpected plot twist scuppered them.

PRESENTER: SHARI VAHL

PRODUCER: TOM MOSELEY

A phone call from the police out of the blue. You want to help. Who wouldn't?

Scam Secrets returns with the chilling story of an audacious scam that reached all the way to the doorstep of its victims.

Jane and Neville were so convinced they were part of a police operation that they handed over their life savings - more than £670,000 - to criminals behind a scam known as courier fraud.

Fraud investigator Shari Vahl, criminal language expert Dr Lis Carter and former criminal Alex Wood analyse the tactics used - the fake emergency call, the mind games and the relentless contact - to lift the lid on how the criminals did it.

Along with guest expert DCI Jon Hodgeon, they'll raise their red flags to highlight the things you can watch out for - so you'll know whether the police officer you're talking to is a criminal in disguise.

PRESENTER: SHARI VAHL

PRODUCER: TOM MOSELEY

Getting an unexpected phonecall can be unnerving. If it's from a bailiff saying he's coming to take your possessions and is 40 minutes away, it can be terrifying.

In this episode, Shari Vahl and the Scam Secrets team hear from two people who were subjected to this scarily plausible scam. Linguistics expert Dr Lis Carter and former fraudster Alex Wood pick apart the language used, and explain how the tactics are all designed to manufacture a 'fight or flight' response that plays into the hands of the criminals.

As ever, red flags will be waved - so you'll end up better informed about this sophisticated and manipulative scam.

And on this last episode in our first series of Scam Secrets, we'll even hear exactly what happened when a scammer tried similar tactics on Shari.

If there's a scam you want the Scam Secrets team to look at, you can get in touch: [email protected]

PRESENTER: SHARI VAHL

PRODUCER: TOM MOSELEY

Your phone pings - it's a loved one who needs your help. Would you know what to do?

Lots of us have received the 'Hello Mum' text - sometimes it's dead easy to spot. But what if the circumstances fit, and they catch you completely unawares?

In this episode, Shari Vahl, Alex Wood, and Dr Elisabeth Carter discuss how the scam, which preys on parental instinct and urgency, is getting increasingly cunning - and they examine the tools the fraudsters use to manipulate us.

Listener Anne, who was almost conned out of £2,000, tells her story. Guest expert Nick Sharp from the National Crime Agency tells us how these criminals are targeting us - and he's no exception, having recently received a Hello Dad message that landed on his work phone.

As ever, the red flags will be waving when there's something to watch out for, and you'll be armed with the knowledge to steer well clear of the criminals.

PRESENTER: SHARI VAHL

PRODUCER: TOM MOSELEY

Who could resist the offer of a free grand piano? Or a remarkably cheap campervan? Just as long as you pay for delivery - but that's a small price to pay, right?

This episode of Scam Secrets is about those times when you're offered something - perhaps something you've always fancied - on amazingly good terms. It's a scam - otherwise Shari Vahl, Dr Lis Carter and Alex Wood wouldn't be talking about it. Luckily they've got their red flags ready to tell you what to watch out for.

In this episode, Lis delves into the language used by the criminals - explaining how they trigger our desire for a musical instrument we didn't know we wanted - and former scammer Alex shares his insight into how people are manipulated by delivery scams like these.

The Scam Secrets guest expert is Dr Jack Whittaker - an academic who wrote his PHD on precisely this kind of fraud. He tells the team where these scams come from and how to see them coming.

Remember - if there's a scam you think we should be talking about, you can email the show: [email protected]

PRESENTER: SHARI VAHL

A trusted celeb seems to be promoting a crypto investment. Would you know what to do?

In this episode of Scam Secrets, Shari Vahl, Dr Elisabeth Carter and former criminal Alex Wood hear how an apparent endorsement from a trusted celebrity paved the way for the relentless psychological manipulation of a couple, with devastating consequences.

The team discuss how helpless people can even be made to lie to their own banks while under the spell of criminals, and they highlight the red flags to watch out for so you can spot what the fraudsters are doing.

PRESENTER: SHARI VAHL