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Fraud in agriculture: Be aware and stay skeptical
Fraud tactics are evolving, and agricultural businesses and rural communities are increasingly caught in the crosshairs.
Beware of look-alikes
A common fraud scheme is business email compromise, where a scammer may use a compromised account or a look-alike email address of a trusted contact to trick someone into sending money or sharing sensitive information. These messages often include realistic invoices or urgent requests. There has also been an increase in fraudulent text messages and phishing phone calls (“vishing”), featuring voices that sound legitimate and try to rush you to verify your account, confirm a login, or read back a code you just received.
Stick with what you know
The goal of these scammers is to get passwords, one-time passcodes, or financial details, or to lure you to a fake site. If any of these requests are unexpected, pause and verify; call a known number (not the one provided), hang up and dial your institution directly, or sign in through your usual app or website.
Add an extra layer of security
One of the simplest protections for your information is multi-factor authentication (MFA). MFA adds a quick second step—like a code from an authenticator app or a prompt on your phone—so a password alone can’t unlock an account. That extra layer makes it much harder for scammers to get in, even if a password is exposed. If you haven’t already, enable MFA on email, banking, and payment platforms, and encourage your team to do the same.
A few other habits help, too
Stay updated on scam tactics, watch for small changes in email addresses or payment instructions, confirm urgent requests are legitimate, and review accounts for unusual activity. Most importantly, build in time to double-check—especially when money or account access is involved. If you think you shared information with a bad actor, contact your provider right away to help secure accounts and limit impact.
With a few simple habits, you can help protect yourself and your operation to keep business running smoothly.
Check out these resources to learn more about ways to protect your operation from fraud: