More than 27 million Britons plan to shop online this Christmas looking for cheap deals.

But many could end up with more than they bargained for as they are in danger of falling foul of a range of internet frauds.

Just one in seven people check they are buying from a secure website, according to research from PayPal.

And half give fraudsters an easy time by using the same password for banking, shopping and social networking.

The threat of fraud is real - one in 10 people have experienced web accounts accessed by fraudsters.

One in 20 have had their identity stolen and had goods bought in their name or had average sums of £1,000 pinched from bank accounts.

Sarah Blaney, from card protection company CCP, says: "No sensible person would use the same key for their house, car and garage.

"People should use multiple passwords with combinations of letters and numbers."

If you're hitting the net for your festive shop, firstly look for secure sites with a padlock symbol.

Also ensure there are real world contacts - such as a landline telephone and postal address - not just PO Box or mobile phone numbers.