By Your Accidental Journalist
Living in a small rural community comes with an advantage that is increasingly rare: we know one another.
We recognize the person behind the counter at the bank. We know the business owner whose name appears on a check. We recognize our neighbors’ voices on the telephone, and we often know the people working at our schools, clinics, pharmacies and local government offices.
Unfortunately, criminals have learned how to take advantage of that trust.
Fraud and forgery have changed dramatically. The person trying to steal from you may never set foot in your town—or eve...