Holidaymakers to the Canaries are being warned of a new electronics scam, which cost an elderly British tourist thousands of pounds.

The 84-year-old widow was targeted by scammers as she was shopping for clothes in Tenerife.

Bridget Manning was approached by a ‘sales assistant’ in a shop on Los Cristianos promenade, offering her a ‘top-of-the range’ tablet computer for just £150.

She was told she could put down only a £26 deposit and try out the tablet until the end of the holiday, which she did, returning to pay the balance before flying home.

However, when she got back to the UK, she found a total of £2,128 had been taken from two of her bank accounts, according to Money Mail.

Bridget explained to the publication that when she had paid for the tablet, she was told that her card was declined three times. She then tried a second debit card, which was ‘accepted’.

Bridget only realised when she returned home that money had been taken from both accounts. She said that when she’d paid for the tablet, the conman had ‘dangled his hand’ in front of the payment terminal screen so she couldn’t see the amount, and she wasn’t given a receipt.

Money Mail said it had spoken to other Brits who’d fallen victim to similar scams in Tenerife, including one who’d been tricked into paying £1,750 and another who’d lost £1,500.

Santander bank, which reimbursed Bridget after being contacted by Money Mail, told the publication: “We would encourage all customers always to check carefully that they are paying the correct amount before making any payment, and if they are in any doubt not to make it.”