Phone fraudsters may prey on farmers’ payments

With payments now being distributed by the Rural Payments Agency under the new Basic Payment Scheme, and the majority of farmers and landowners expected to receive sums by the end of the month, farmers will be attractive targets for phone scammers over the festive period, the Country Land and Business Association warned.

Dorothy Fairburn, the CLA’s regional director, said: “A lot of information as to who receives BPS payments is publicly available, which makes farmers and landowners increasingly vulnerable.

“Everyone involved in running a rural business needs to be aware of the risk.”

The CLA and the National Farmers’ Union are advising their members to be cautious if they get any call, text or email out of the blue about BPS payments.

Miss Fairburn added: “If in doubt, put the phone down, wait five or 10 minutes to ensure the call has definitely ended or use a different phone, and then call the organisation using a number you have used previously and know is trustworthy.”

Criminals often claim that fraud has been detected on a business or personal bank account and that immediate action is required - a rouse to obtain financial information or transferring funds into a so-called ‘safe account’.

Data from Financial Fraud Action UK shows there was a six per cent rise in financial fraud losses in the first half of 2015.