Farmers—protect yourself from fraud

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

Some tips to protect yourself against online and classified ad scammers.

It can happen to anybody.

It doesn’t matter how safe you are or how smart you are; there’s always a chance you are going to get scammed over something. And the agricultural community is no exception.

One of the latest instances involves our own Farms.com website being used for data skimming, where scammers look for keywords on our website, gather information, and, if applicable, use it for their own profit.

Farms.com classifieds is a great online marketplace for farmers to advertise their ag products for sale.

“Farms.com does everything we can to protect our online sellers,” said Graham Dyer, Farms.com President & Chief Executive Officer.  “Our team filters fake accounts on a daily basis. But it is impossible to allow farmers to easily use our website to sell their farm equipment or other agriculture related items on the classified pages of our website.  

“The old adage still holds true today,” continued Dyer, “If it sounds to good to be true, it probably is.”

Scammers examine classified ads and then, unsolicited, contact the seller, offering to sell their ag product. Higher realized prices are offered, as well as a larger viewing audience. All it takes is for the farmer to provide some money upfront for “advertising and marketing.”

In this case, advertising and marketing meant taking farmer-supplied photography of the item they want to be sold, adding the farmer-provided description of the product, adding contact information, and then putting it all up on a completely different website advertising a sale or an auction.

Farms.com is aware of a recent incident involving an Ontario farmer advertising on an agricultural website to sell a tractor. Someone skimmed the contact data from the website and then—unsolicited—contacted the farmer and offered to sell their tractor for them on their US website. It ended up costing them many thousands of dollars just to have the tractor advertised on an auction site—even though the farmer provided the photos and equipment data—and it still didn’t sell.

While the sales offer in this case was legitimate, the costs incurred were excessive. This kind of scam can be particularly damaging as it exploits the trust of people looking to sell their valuable assets. They still have their equipment, but the farmers are out a lot of money for advertising and marketing costs.

Data Skimming
There are many ways that scammers can skim a website. The easiest way is for a person to physically go in and look and see what they want and then physically grab the information for later use.

However, most scammers will use a computerized methodology to collect personal information from unsuspecting users. Here are a few common techniques they use:

• Fake Websites: Scammers create fake websites that mimic legitimate ones to trick people into providing personal information. For example, they might create a fake online store that looks like a popular retailer. Have you ever received an email directing you to a fake online internet provider to get a new inexpensive internet plan? Sometimes they simply pluralize the company name, so look for spelling mistakes.
• Phishing Emails: These are emails that appear to come from reputable sources but are designed to steal personal information. How about an email advertising that you have been selected to win one of 300 widgets from a company that looks like your bank but starts the email with “Dear customer?” How many emails have started with a “Hello darling”? This writer once received an email from his new boss asking him to buy $500 worth of gift cards for a client meeting. Being new to the company and not wanting to disappoint his boss, this writer wanted to comply but had no money available on his credit card or in his bank account to buy the gift cards. It’s what saved him from being scammed.
• Phishing Texts: This is a text from an unknown sender, or maybe it is from someone you know. It might start with a text that simply states, “Hi. How are you doing?” If your phone doesn’t provide you with a contact name, it’s a scammer.
• Malicious Code: Hackers can inject malicious code into websites to capture data entered by users, such as credit card information or login credentials.
• ATM Skimmers: Devices installed on ATMs to capture card information when people insert their cards.
• Formjacking: This involves injecting malicious code into online forms to steal information entered by users.

It's important to be cautious and vigilant when sharing personal information online. Always verify the legitimacy of websites and emails, and use secure connections (look for "https" in the URL).

Protecting Yourself
It's crucial for anyone selling items online to verify the legitimacy of the contacts they receive and to use secure, reputable platforms for transactions.
How can you verify the legitimacy of a contact you receive?

Verifying the legitimacy of a contact involves several steps to ensure you're dealing with a trustworthy individual or company. Here are some tips:

1. Deal With Companies You Know: Only deal with companies that you have contacted first. Do not reply to any unsolicited messages that happen to be offering a service you currently need.
2. Do Your Research: Search for the person's name, email address, or phone number online to see if there are any red flags or negative reviews. Websites like BBB (Better Business Bureau) or Trustpilot can help check the legitimacy of businesses.
3. Check Their Website: Look for a professional website with contact information, a privacy policy, and secure connections (https://). Be cautious of websites with poor design, numerous spelling errors, or suspicious URLs.
4. Verify Contact Details: Call the phone number provided to ensure it belongs to a real business, though that’s not always a “gotcha.”
5. Contact Name: There should be a legitimate person at the end of a text, email, or phone call. It should never just be messaging from a job title—for example, a “Sales Representative”—there needs to be a full name, first and last name.
6. Verify the Contact: On an email, if you hover your mouse over the email address, the true name of the sender should appear, regardless of what is seen on the email address.
7. Ask for References: Request references or testimonials from previous customers. A genuine contact should be able to provide these without hesitation.
8. Use Secure Payment Methods: Avoid wire transfers or payments through insecure platforms. Use secure payment methods like credit cards, which offer fraud protection.
9. Consult Authorities: If you're unsure, you can always consult local authorities or consumer protection agencies for advice.
10. Check for Company Registration: Ensure the company is registered and legitimate by checking relevant business registration databases in their country.
11. Trust Your Instincts: If something feels off, trust your gut. Scammers often create a sense of urgency or pressure to rush a decision.

Please take these precautions seriously to help protect you from scams and ensure you're dealing with a legitimate contact. Just remember that of all the bits of advice noted above, No. 11 is the most important. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.