The NFU has warned local businesses to be on alert after several Welshpool firms have fallen victim to a cybercrime scam that has left them thousands of pounds out of pocket.

The firms received convincing emails from their regular ‘suppliers’ telling them that their bank account details had changed and to transfer their usual payments to a new account. The firms transferred money in good faith only to discover later that they had sent the money to an account overseas.

NFU Mutual Agent and NFU Group Secretary Steve Kenyon from the Welshpool office, which works hard to raise awareness of rural crime, said: “This was clearly a very convincing scam and we’d urge local people to be on guard for emails purporting to be from people they know. Thieves targeting this area are becoming more sophisticated in the way that they operate and cybercrime is becoming a huge concern for our members.”