The pair of suspected scammers were arrested after officers from Poland’s Central Cybercrime Bureau linked them to an IT system that had been created to extract the login details of social media users.

The duo had constructed a complex network of fake charity websites which were then used to obtain sensitive data.

The Central Cybercrime Bureau has warned against criminals taking advantage of the public’s good will, saying that some crooks were using the situation to take over social media accounts.

“To do this they prepare a page with a flashy headline and a photo of a child or an animal in danger,” said the bureau. “The page will include a link that you must log into using your details. However, providing this data will result in your login details being taken over.”

Earlier on Monday, two men were jailed for eight months after quickly being found guilty of stealing items from a garage in the flood-hit town of Głuchołazy, southwestern Poland. The two were also handed fines of 4,000 and 6,000 złotys each.

Last week, the government announced it would boost local police numbers in flood-hit areas and send 500 military police officers to guard evacuated properties from burglars.