BANKS have vowed to track down and prosecute those responsible for a growing Internet scam known as phishing.

Unsolicited e-mails are being sent to people across the region claiming to be from their on-line bank asking them to input their account details over the Internet.

Banks and building societies affected include Natwest, Halifax, Nationwide and Lloyds TSB.

Phishing involves sending out millions of e-mails to people directing them to a website disguised as their bank's home page.

Customers are then asked to disclose their names, account details and passwords, which can then be used by the people who set up the scam to drain accounts.

A spokesman for Halifax bank said the scam was on the increase and advised customers to delete the message or forward it to the bank.

He said: "We take this very seriously and will pursue and prosecute any individual we find to be creating these e-mails.

"Both ourselves and Barclays run a policy whereby we will try to find the source of any scam e-mail customers make us aware of by working closely with the police."

Other banks said they were aware of the scam and had received complaints from customers.

Nationwide has put a warning on its home page about it.

North-East police are aware of the scam and advise people to delete the e-mails.

A spokesman for Durham Police said: "People should never give out their bank details over the Internet. No legitimate financial organisation would ask its customers to fill out their details in this way."