15 Ate Today? Thank a Farmer. Better Farming | February 2024 Avoiding scams Armit says that another common scam being reported in Canada is spear phishing, or business email compromise. In this scam, fraudsters will collect information about their victim in advance. They may use malware to create a rule to forward emails to their own account, and they may infiltrate or mimic the victim’s own email. The goal is to send more convincing communications. “The fraudsters might send an email to that person asking for a change in banking info,” explains Armit, describing how business email compromise occurs. “What happens is that someone clicks on malware, which directs copies of emails to a different address. Scam- mers can monitor emails and then can send an invoice with banking info and the victim would send payment to the new account.” Joel Bouvier, director of Cyber Security at Farm Credit Canada, says that there are a wide variety of scams that can affect farmers. “It could be anything. We’ve seen fraudulent equipment and supplies sales, some invoice scams, online bidding and auction scams suggesting you might receive a discount if you pay direct, grant scams, or government rebate scams,” says Bouvier. Farms that use a lot of technology, such as hog and dairy farms, may also be at high risk. Sometimes the hightech systems can be taken over, dis- rupting operations. “It’s becoming more pervasive. It used to be targeted at larger organizations, but now we see it happening to small farming operations too,” explains Bouvier. “There are hackers out there that specifically target agriculture. They are just putting stuff out there and hoping someone will take the bait.” As these attempts become more common, what warning signs should farmers watch for while conducting their business? Keeping your farm safe All members of the farm must be trained in what to look for when avoiding scams. “There are a few common things people can look for,” explains Bouvier. “Ask yourself if this is too good to be true. Is it too good of a deal? One of the common footprints of fraud is that they are playing on emotions and trying to get a knee-jerk reaction or playing on self-interest. That’s the deal portion.” It’s also important to verify sources to avoid scams. As an example, producers can research the seller and location of equipment, or investigate email senders. “I always tell people to be their own detective – look online and do your research. The big red flag for farmers would be any unsolicited emails, phone calls, or texts. When the info does come to you, slow down and conduct your own research,” says Armit. UNCOVER THE HEALTH OF YOUR SOIL Do you grow grains or oilseeds in the Golden Horseshoe region? Find out if you qualify for FREE soil health sampling. Email us at soil@greenbelt.ca Call (437) 972-1675 Learn more at www.greenbelt.ca/greenbelt_soil_health GBF_SoilHealth_7x4.875_press_ad_AW.indd 1 2023-12-15 5:45 PM
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NTc0MDI3