Farmers told to be wary of fraudsters as BPS payments arrive

Criminals have been known to pose as banks, as well as authorities such as the police
Criminals have been known to pose as banks, as well as authorities such as the police

Farmers have been reminded to be wary of fraudsters as Basic Payment Scheme starts entering bank accounts in early December.

Next month, police around the UK are expecting an influx of calls and emails to the farming community attempting to trick them out of their money.

Criminals have been known to pose as banks, as well as authorities such as the police, to attempt to extort money though illegitimate means.

They will either contact the victims via telephone, email or in person and request that money be moved to ‘safer’ locations, due to bogus security issues.

The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) and Farmers' Union of Wales (FUW) have both warned farmers that banks will never ask for their full online password and will not ask them to make a payment over the phone using their online account.

“They will create a sense of urgency and may even know minor details about the victims to convince them they are genuine,” said FUW Gwent CEO, Glyn Davies.

The FUW has urged farmers and landowners to take the following measures to ensure they do not fall victim to these types of scams this coming winter.

• Never divulge personal information to anyone, over the phone, in person or on the computer from an email or pop up message or advert.

• If someone from the bank does call, hang up and using a different line or contacting a family member to ensure the previous call has disconnected, contact the bank directly and ascertain if the call was genuine. If it really is the bank calling, they won’t mind.

• If someone says they are from the police and asks for any transfer of money, hang up. The police will never do this.

• Don’t click on any links or open any attachments from unsolicited emails. Check the sender’s details thoroughly before replying and as always, make contact with the sender separately and directly to ensure an email’s validity.

• If you or anyone know is affected by fraud and cybercrime, contact Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 to report the matter as soon as possible.