UK consumers are being urged to be more proactive when it comes to protecting themselves from online crime.

Neil Munroe, external affairs director at Equifax, says that internet users risk falling victim to criminal behaviour unless they install security software on their PCs.

He added that people should be wary of giving out any personal details over the web and to ensure they stick to secured websites when surfing.

"You should have very good spam and spyware software," Mr Munroe warned.

"A lot of people wouldn't know what that was. Always make sure that the site you are on is secure and has a padlock in the corner. Don't open any emails you are suspicious about."

Figures from credit rating expert Experian suggest it takes up to 467 days for somebody to realise that they are a victim of identity theft.

A recent survey by YouGov found that two thirds of consumers believe organisations which store personal information should take more responsibility for securing it.