Those who fail to clear their credit records could find themselves in a difficult position, it is claimed.

Emma Holyer, a spokeswoman for LV=, says identity fraud could cause additional problems for those already in financial difficulties.

"Check for symptoms of something more serious and that it’s not just a one off because the cost of ID fraud to you personally can be quite significant," she states.

Ms Holyer believes such fraud has risen significantly over the last decade, with those affected often finding themselves blacklisted in terms of their credit ratings.

This is mainly happening online, she continues, with the modern way of banking coming with its flaws.

The latest Unisys Security Index has revealed that 72 per cent of UK citizens believe they are at greater risk from identity theft and related crimes such as credit card fraud as a result of the financial crisis.

It also discovered that 88 per cent of consumers are concerned about other people obtaining and using their credit card, debit card or bank account.