Farmers have become a target for cyber criminals looking to raid bank accounts containing fresh EU handouts.

A Carlisle-based farming union chief says falling prey to crooks on the internet is a major worry in the agricultural community.

While other officials have highlighted Cumbria as a hotspot, with victims losing sums of up to £25,000.

At this time of year, the accounts of many farmers will have received funds as part of the EU's Common Agricultural Policy.

A Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) internet search tool shows where payments go.

National Farmers Union group secretary for north Cumbria, Keith Twentyman, said officials were aware of the fears.

"We are quite concerned about it," he said.

"It is especially worrying with some considerable large amounts of money going into farmers' bank accounts when they are paid their farm payment.

"You still have a choice whether you pay by cheque.

"But as a business we see an increasing number of farmers paying by bank transfer.

"Coupled with that, farmers are so busy with other things to check their bank accounts daily," he added.

"The subject of cyber-crime is on our radar.

"There are some significant amounts of money changing hands.

"Criminals can check online the sums being paid to individual farmers."

A report to Carlisle City Council quotes Cumbria Police as saying farmers are a target for cyber criminals, who attempt to gain fraudulent access to bank accounts.

Jonathan Carroll, of Cartmell Shepherd Solicitors in Carlisle, confirmed farmers were being singled out.

"Because of the criminal's high-speed movement, recovery of any stolen money has proved to be very difficult," he added.

Georgina Lamb, the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution north west regional manager, said she had become touched by cyber-crime when a family member, a farmer, was targeted.

"It was a Friday night, when the person in question was not able to contact their bank branch.

"The criminals knew exactly what they were doing. They got my relative frustrated and flustered. They are very devious," said Ms Lamb.

She added it was a "textbook" target.

"It was stopped, but it was very close to the wire," she added.

"My relative is an astute businessman, but he was very nearly caught out. It shook everybody up.

"He was a few clicks away from handing over tens of thousands of pounds."

"The whole farming community is a target. It is a classic to put a call at the beginning of December when historically farmers get their farm payments paid directly into their bank accounts."

The Rural Payments Agency has provided the following tips and advice to reduce the chances of becoming a victim of cybercrime:

* Banks will never request full online password information;

* They will not ask you to make a payment over the phone using an online account;

* If your bank asks you to call back, ensure that there is a dial tone first or use a mobile to phone the bank directly - as the phone line may be held open by the fraudster.