Six people have been arrested in Britain as part of an FBI-led operation, targeting online financial fraudsters involved in trading stolen bank and credit card information.

A total of 24 suspects were held in America, Europe, Asia and Australia, following a two-year undercover operation described as the biggest of its kind.

Officials from the FBI said the elaborate sting, which foiled suspected criminals operating carding schemes, has protected more than 400,000 potential victims, and saved $205 million.

All those arrested are accused of buying and selling hacking programs and stolen personal information online.

The arrests came after undercover FBI investigators set up a bogus website where fraudsters involved in carding schemes could buy and sell stolen information and programmes.

Manhattan US Attorney Preet Bharara said: "The coordinated law enforcement actions taken by an unprecedented number of countries around the world demonstrate that hackers and fraudsters cannot count on being able to prowl the internet in anonymity and with impunity, even across national boundaries."