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Under a ruse known as 'triangulation', gangs operating from Eastern Europe, are promoting online auctions which purport to offer cut price tickets to exotic locations such as the Bahamas.

Typically, if a victim buys such a ticket, they will pay the party offering the ticket direct. But the gangs will use stolen credit cards to buy the tickets

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from travel agents in their victim's name. In that way, the victim will only know that their ticket has been bought using stolen credit card details if the retailer contacts them about it.

Alan Smith, Business Development Director at ClearCommerce Europe commented: 'Online auction crime is on the increase with the number of complaints to the Federal Trade Commission skyrocketing from a mere 107 in 1997 to approximately 77,000 in 2003. The situation is exacerbated by the fact that many online auction sites do not place a limit on the number of items a seller can promote on the site so there are literally hundreds of new scams being uploaded everyday.'

The problem may be particularly damaging for those behind the stolen numbers. A recent report in the Times suggested that banks may be tiring of footing the bill for credit card scams and may hold those that don't keep their credit card details safe responsible.