The survey of 1,000 people by Core Research found that one in five admit to not taking basic precautions when shopping online. This can include checking for a secure connection such as a “https” and padlock image at the beginning of the web address, and avoiding the use of public WI-FI for payments.

Nearly half said they clicked on links from social media or pop-up ads instead of independently visiting the website of the company.

Head of financial crime at BPFI Niamh Davenport said there is an “increased risk to shoppers” during peak online shopping periods “with fraudsters primed to take advantage of Cyber Monday and the Christmas rush”.

“Scammers often use contaminated links hidden within emails, social media, and online adverts which lead unsuspecting shoppers to counterfeit websites. 

These fake sites often impersonate well-known stores or brands offering ‘discounted deals’ to entice people, only to disappear after a shopper has made a payment, leaving them without their purchases and out of pocket,” he said.

Ms Davenport said the new online scam checker tool would help consumers ensure the website they’re buying a product from is legitimate.

“By cross-referencing the link with a real-time database of known scam sites and malware hosts, Scamchecker.ie offers shoppers valuable information to help make an informed decision before making a purchase online,” she said.

The calls from the banks come after a warning issued by An Garda Síochána to consumers last week to mark the Black Friday shopping day.

The gardaí are advising people to look for “trust seals” commonly found on homepages or checkout pages, do not send money directly to someone you don’t know, and never purchase through social media or where the ‘offer’ came to you via social media.