Blog: Scam Awareness with Rural Action Derbyshire

Rural living is seen as idyllic, with images of cricket being played on village greens and miles of hedgerows bordering quiet lanes; yet rural communities are facing many of the same challenges as urban areas.

With mobile phones, social media and digital payments becoming relied upon for saving time and getting information quickly, scams are becoming more prominent. The best defence against this type of crime is awareness.

Originally set up in 1924, Rural Action Derbyshire is an organisation which aims to empower people living and working in rural communities to address disadvantage, becoming more sustainable and increasing local control.

One of their key initiatives focuses on educating rural communities about scams and equipping them with practical tools to stay protected.

To coincide with Scams Awareness Week 2025 (20th October - 2nd November), they ran a free Scams Awareness Seminar, which was presented and chaired by Emma Simpson, CEO of Rural Action Derbyshire.

Joined by guest speakers who included Shari Vahl from BBC Radio 4’s Scam Secrets series, and Tammy Barnes from Derbyshire Police’s Fraud Investigation team, they discussed spotting warning signs, stopping scams in their tracks and supporting others who may be at risk.

Giving an emotive presentation on their personal identity theft, attendees had the opportunity to hear from someone within the local community who had been the victim of a scam. Derbyshire Police were continuing to support this person and were working to repatriate the funds via his bank.

Rural communities tend to be well-connected where everyone knows their neighbours and try to look out for each other, but they can also be incredibly isolating. This with a mixture of lack of digital knowledge and limited support services, makes targeting rural areas very appealing to scammers.

We have all heard of various types of scams either on through TV programmes or maybe talking to friends, family and colleagues, and probably thought “That would never happen to me”, but the reality is that anyone can be caught off guard.

Scammers are regularly reinventing themselves and adapting their techniques, so we must stay informed to stay safe.

Below are some of the most common:

• Fake phone calls often pretending to be from your bank or the government
• Car parking fines
• QR Codes
• Lottery or prize scams
• Loan or microfinance scams
• Fake online buying or selling
• Social media or WhatsApp impersonation
• Romance Fraud
• Doorstep and courier scams

Some of these scams can involve huge amounts of money being passed over to scammers with the victim believing they are paying a genuine person. In reality, no bank or government department will ask for pins or passwords to accounts, and genuine prizes don’t require any pre-payment.

So, what are the warning signs that we should all be aware of?

• You are asked for your any pins or passwords
• The caller pressures you to act urgently
• A ‘too good to be true’ offer
• The number is unfamiliar but claims to be from an official organisation
• You are asked to send money before receiving a service or prize
• Messages with spelling mistakes or threats

There are many ways in which rural areas can stay protected from scams and this mainly comes from the strong sense of community and resilience already harboured by many.

• Spread information locally – Verbally share warnings at community gatherings and market days. Put posters up in local amenities.
• Promote digital literacy - Encourage locals to learn basic mobile phone safety such as not clicking unknown links, blocking suspicious numbers and checking bank apps directly instead of believing messages.
• Verify sources before trusting - Always contact the official bank or office directly using known numbers and never trust random calls claiming to be from customer service.
• Keep personal information private - Do not share bank details, photos, passwords or pins.
• Enable screen locks and keep phones up to date with the latest software.
• Report scams immediately – You should report all scams, even if they are unsuccessful. Remember that quick reporting prevents others from falling victim.
• One of Derbyshire Constabulary’s key messages is ‘Stop! Think fraud’.
• Talk to someone, if something doesn’t feel right the chances are it isn’t.

Rural communities already show resilience by coming together and supporting one another in a variety of ways. By spreading scam awareness, asking questions and encouraging digital safety, these areas can continue to build defences against those targeting them.

Find out more about Rural Action Derbyshire and Scams Awareness here.