Cybercrime to feature in Ayrshire crime event on 5 October

Tackling cybercrime will be part of a rural crime event being held in Ayrshire on 5 October.  It comes after a member in Ayrshire recently fell victim to ‘ghosting’ – a convincing scam that left the affected business thousands of pounds out of pocket.

The farmer had agreed to buy a new machine from a machinery dealer and was negotiating, through phone calls and emails, a finance agreement with the bank. Half way through the negotiation, the contact at the bank replied to the email conversation with "revised" account details. The convincing email still bore the electronic signature of the bank with all the usual fraud warnings, telephone numbers and logos attached. The farmer duly sent the money to this account believing everything to be in order.

Shortly afterwards, the farmer received a phone call from the dealer chasing up the payment on the machine. When the farmer contacted the bank, they informed him that they had been unable to complete the transaction as he had suddenly stopped replying to emails half way through the conversation.

This type of scam is referred to as "ghosting" where the scammer has hacked an email account, removed the banker from the conversation and started mimicking emails from the bank.  The bank involved has launched an investigation into this in conjunction with Police Scotland's fraud team.

The farmer involved, who remains anonymous, said: “Please be vigilant folks.  Even in hindsight, and having reviewed the emails, the only indication that an intruder had taken over the email conversation with the bank was a very slight change in writing style - something that we simply assumed was a banker typing in a hurry!

“It was a very convincing scam that has stung us, leaving us several thousand pounds out of pocket and no guarantee that we're getting it back.”

Combatting cybercrime will be part of the ‘Tackling Rural Crime Together – Back to Basics’ event, taking place at Dumfries House, Cumnock on Friday 5 October.  As well as offering workshops on cybercrime and how to avoid commonplace scams, the event organised by Regional Manager Christine Cuthbertson will include sessions on how to protect vehicles and property and what to do if you witness wildlife crime on your farm.

Encouraging all members to register and attend, Christine said: “Scammers are becoming increasingly devious when it comes targeting businesses and this incidence of ghosting in the region must serve as a sharp reminder to all to be alert at all times.  Whether it is your bank account, your property or your pick-up, the event at Dumfries House will offer back to basics guidance on how to protect what is yours.

Sergeant Alan McDowall of South Ayrshire Community Policing Team said:  "Cybercrime can take many different forms therefore it is important to be aware of current and emerging trends involving this type of criminality.  If farmers are unable to attend the event on 5 October, information and advice is available within the Keep Secure Online section of the Police Scotland website.”

Notes to Editors

• The ‘Tackling Rural Crime Together - Back to Basics’ event will be held on Friday 5 October 2018, 10.00am - 1.30pm at Valentin’s Education Farm, Dumfries House, Cumnock.  It will include sessions on the following:
  • vehicle security – hints and to protect your farm machinery, tractors and pick-ups; 
  • cybercrime – how to avoid common place scams and protect yourself from this growing area of fraud;
    
  • wildlife crime – what is wildlife crime and what to do if you witness wildlife crime on your land;
    
  • protecting yourself & your property – advice on how to reduce your risk of rural crime.
• For members, booking is required for catering purposes.  Call 0131 472 4000, Text RC and your name(s) to 07775 838926 or Email christine.cuthbertson@nfus.org.uk 
• If media would like to attend, email media@nfus.org.uk 
• The Police Scotland ‘Keep Secure Online’ website is at: http://www.scotland.police.uk/keep-safe/keep-secure-online/ 
• In its recently published 2018 Rural Crime report, leading rural insurer NFU Mutual estimated rural crime in Scotland cost £1.5m in 2017, a fall of 3.8% on the previous year.  Tractor and quad theft costs in Scotland have fallen by almost half in the three years since NFU Scotland, NFU Mutual, Police Scotland and other partners joined forces to tackle farm machinery theft across Scotland through the SPARC Initiative (Scotland Partnership Against Rural Crime).  Farmers are increasingly using hi-tech tracking devices and immobilisers on vehicles, CCTV video, dashcams, motion sensors, infra-red surveillance and SmartWater marking in their farmyards.
  

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Contact Bob Carruth on 0131 472 4006