High street banks have admitted that they are also losing money to criminals who record passwords and identities using remotely operated key-logging programs.

Most banks have switched their logging-in procedures for online customers to avoid the threat from trojan programs which have been surreptitiously placed on users' computers to record keystrokes.

Instead of requiring customers to type in their passwords and identities, they make them click on a drop-down menu or alphabet by clicking on it with their mouse.

Key-logging programs are a concern, admitted Sandra Quinn of Apacs. "Some money is being lost that way but we are confident that it's very low level. It has been increasing but only by a bit."

The national hi-tech crime unit also recognises there are dangers from such programs, which may have been planted on unsuspecting customers possibly by using commerically available spyware.

"We know there are trojan programs which are downloading key-logging details," conceded a spokeswoman for the unit.