Rather than trying to steal your bank details by sending you a fake e-mail purporting to be from your bank, this latest scam is an e-mail telling you not to alter your log-in or password.

The phishers provide a link to a supposed news site in Australia, tempting you with a link claiming that all Australian banks are to be closed this week.

If you follow the link, a phishing Trojan horse virus is downloaded onto your computer to steal your passwords.

Paul Ducklin, from security software firm Sophos, said:

"You need to be careful not to follow up on any call to action in unwanted e-mail.

"After all, if you don't trust the original e-mail, why would you trust information such as weblinks, telephone numbers or street addresses in that e-mail?"