Shropshire farmers warned on Euro grant scammers
Scammers are targeting farmers in Shropshire and Mid Wales in a bid to get their hands on European Union grant payments, it has been revealed.
West Mercia Police said it is warning the region's rural residents to be on their guard against cold calls from people claiming to be their bank, telling them there is a problem with their grant from Brussels.
Information about those in receipt of EU funds, including their name and how much they are to be paid, is publicly available – which allows criminals to directly target victims and make the con more convincing, police say.
Con artists typically call, e-mail or text their victims, claiming a fraud has been detected on their account and then persuade them to hand over financial information or ask them to transfer money to what they claim is a "safe account".
The scam specifically targets the agricultural sector as payments begin to arrive into bank accounts, through the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) which is the EU's main rural payment scheme, said Tony Blake, senior fraud prevention officer at Financial Fraud Action UK's dedicated card and payment crime unit.
He said: "Criminals are well aware of when these payments start to arrive and will look for any opportunity to defraud their victims.
"It is vital that farmers, and other recipients of the payment, are alert to these scams and are very wary of any phone calls, texts or e-mails out of the blue asking for personal or financial information, or to transfer money to another account.
"If you receive such a call or message, hang up the phone and do not reply directly.
"Instead, wait five minutes and ring your bank to alert them to the scam, using a phone number that you trust – such as the one from the official website."
Bridgnorth farmer Henry Yates said farmers needed to take care, but added: "I'm quite confident most farmers would be very sceptical of any dubious telephone calls, but must not under any circumstances give out their bank details to anyone they don't know."
Detective Inspector Tim Bower, of West Mercia Police economic crime unit, added: "Potential victims should be on their guard for any calls, texts or emails purporting to be from your bank, the police, a government body or other organisation asking for personal or financial details, or for you to transfer money; or cold callers who suggest you hang up the phone and call them back."
