Cybersecurity for all: training to prevent scams in rural areas

Abstract

The irruption of the Internet has transformed society, particularly impacting rural areas, which often face depopulation, an aging population, limited access to technology, and restricted public and private services, such as the absence of bank branches. These conditions make rural inhabitants more vulnerable to online fraud. To address this issue, professors and students of the Degree in criminology of the University of Salamanca developed a service-learning project. The students designed a questionnaire to assess awareness of bank scams in three villages in Salamanca and, based on the results, implemented workshops and prevention strategies. Subsequently, they evaluated the impact through another questionnaire, highlighting positive changes in behavior patterns when faced with suspicious activities, showing an improvement in awareness of the problem.