Although cybercrime costs UK consumers millions each year, the Metropolitan police commissioner, Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, has recently argued that victims of online fraud should not be reimbursed by banks.

He argues that this merely reinforces the idea that consumers can get away with having a lax attitude to online security, instead of taking action to make a better job of improving the level of protection which is available to them, so that they can shop online in safety.

But the Guardian reports that these comments have provoked anger in some quarters, with consumer group Which? arguing that Sir Bernard has effectively laid blame at the feet of the innocent people who have been negatively impacted by cybercriminal activity.

Which? spokesperson Richard Lloyd pointed out that studies have found many banks to be slow in responding to issues of fraud, meaning that even under the current system, it can take some time for customers to have cash reimbursed.

Lloyd also said that more pressure should be put on banks themselves in order to ensure that their security solutions are more robust and less likely to allow fraudsters to exploit legitimate customers.

44 per cent of people across Britain have suffered some form of online fraud in the past, but almost half of this group admitted that they had not bothered to alter passwords and login details across a range of platforms in the aftermath of a breach.

There is certainly an argument to be made for more to be done with relation to the levels of security awareness amongst consumers, because only through empowering people with the right information can safe shopping online be promoted. But punishing victims of fraud seems like the wrong route to take in this matter.