ABSTRACT
Fraud presents itself as a significant challenge in the twenty-first century. While there is an emerging body of work on fraud (with a focus on how technologies such as the internet are transforming both offending and victimisation), to date little attention has been paid to any differences in how fraud is experienced across rural communities compared to those who live in urban centres. Certainly geography is no longer a protective factor in limiting potential victimisation, given the prevalence of the internet and the ability of those in geographically remote areas to communicate at speed with others globally. This chapter explores what is known about fraud, and provides insights into how a rural context impacts on fraud victimisation, pointing to ways in which responses to fraud victims who live in rural environments can be improved. A serving police officer from a rural Canadian locality provides a practitioner perspective, illustrating the complexities of fraud in a rural setting.
