A victim of internet bank fraud today told of her shock at losing more than £4,000.

Miriam Wells, 23, logged on to find her account had been emptied of £2,700 she inherited from her grandmother and that she had gone a further £1,600 into the red.

She said: "I had been using my account loads since the money went missing not knowing what had happened and going further and further into my overdraft.

"Then HSBC left me a message telling me to ring them immediately about unusual activity on my account.

"They showed me my statement and I noticed a payment of £4,300 that I hadn't made."

HSBC's anti-fraud measures include giving customers an identity consisting of a string of numbers, plus another numbered code comprising between six and ten numbers.

Miss Wells said: "The bank will ask you at random for three of those numbers. It varies each time so you think it's pretty secure but, somehow, someone managed to hack into my account.

"It is unnerving and I'll have to think about whether or not to continue with this system of banking. I thought the system was safe."

Banks have refunded £4.5 million to 2,000 victims of online banking scams, nationwide.

Last week, they warned people who ignored safety advice before losing money in online banking scams could, in the future, be denied compensation.

The Association for Payment Clearing Services (Apacs) said a "safety net" for paying victims existed while banks were still making customers aware of online fraud risks.

But Apacs said that in years to come compensation could be denied if people had safety information but ignored it.

Miss Wells has informed police of the theft and HSB were investigating how it happened.

Miss Wells, a reporter on The Argus, said: "The payment was made at night but I only use the system in the daytime.

"The only thing that's stopping me getting really upset about it all is the belief I will get my money back from the bank."

It is not thought she is a victim of "phishing" fraudsters, who gain access codes by sending authentic-looking emails purporting to be from the victim's bank and requesting verification of code numbers.

Apacs director of corporate communications Sandra Quinn said there had been an increase in phishing scams. While customers were unaware of the risks, banks would compensate.

Banks have urged customers never to respond to unsolicited emails supposedly sent by them, and never to reveal PINs or passwords.

Apacs, which co-ordinates banks' anti-fraud efforts, has launched a website, Bank Safe Online, offering advice.