Around £14,500 can be extracted from the average internet user's identity after it is stolen by a fraudster, it has been said.

The research also found that even though the vast majority of people were using a copy of anti-virus software on their computers, nearly half were not maintaining the software via subscription or regular updates.

In the study, which was carried out by GetSafeOnline.org for the benefit of the fourth annual Get Safe Online Week, phishing is also on the rise, with 23 per cent of people knowing someone who gave away their credit card details to scammers masquerading as banks or finance providers.

This marked a jump of 15 per cent on last year's figures, it was added.

"If internet users invest a relatively small amount of time and money in ensuring they are fully protected and up-to-date, the risk of such financial loss is almost negligible," said Tony Neate, managing director of the organisation.

Even high-profile public figures such as Nicolas Sarkozy and Sarah Palin have been subject to attacks by fraudsters, GetSafeOnline.org highlighted, showing that nobody was invincible against fraudsters.

More than half of small businesses (53 per cent) believe that the most important benefit of outsourcing is guaranteed response times for IT support. London-based Connect conducted the research in 2007.