Consumer Protection and IDCARE have joined forces to share information and resources on scams, cybercrime and identity theft at free Cyber Resilience Outreach Clinics (CROC) across Western Australia.
IDCARE’s Team Leader Community Outreach, Rob Blackmore, is visiting towns from the state’s south through to the Kimberley in a ‘cyber truck’, co-branded with WA ScamNet, to give in-person advice and support to communities impacted by identity theft and cybercrime.
The CROC clinics take a variety of forms, from having a stall at a local festival through to briefings in community halls. The locations were selected based on WA ScamNet and IDCARE data, current local conditions such as the Kimberley floods, and requests from the community.
Australians living in remote and regional communities are three times more likely to be impacted by cybercrime and scams than their city counterparts and experience higher financial losses.
Find a free upcoming CROC in your area
More locations and dates to be added, so check in regularly
| Location | Date | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Kalgoorlie Eastern Goldfields Community Centre | Wednesday, 8 March | 10:30am - 11:30am |
| Leonora Leonora Community Resource Centre 60 Tower Street | Thursday, 9 March | 9:30am – 2:00pm |
| Katanning Katanning Harmony Festival Austral Terrace | Saturday, 25 March | 12noon - 6pm |
| Collie Collie Library corner of Wittenoom and Steere Streets | Monday, 3 April | 11am – 12noon |
|
Bunbury | Wednesday, 5 April | 11am – 2pm |
|
Busselton | Sunday, 9 April | 7:30am – 12noon |
|
Mandurah | Wednesday, 26 April | 10am - 11:30am |
| Perth Gordon Stephenson House, Exhibition Hall, Level 2 140 William Street | Thursday, 27 April |
10:30am – 12:30pm |
| York Lesser Hall York Town Hall Joaquina Street | Friday, 28 April | 10am - 11:30am |
| Dongara Marine Rescue Port Denison 48 Leitch Street Port Denison | Tuesday, 2 May | 10am - 11:30am |
| Geraldton Wonthella Bowls Club 258 Eighth Street Wonthella (GERO) | Wednesday, 3 May | 11am - 12:30pm |
| Carnarvon Gascoyne Growers Market 21 Robinson Street | Saturday, 13 May | 8am - 11:30am |
| Tom Price | Tuesday, 16 May | Please refer to IDCARE - Cyber Resilience Outreach Clinics for event details |
| Roebourne and Wickham | Wednesday, 17 May | Please refer to IDCARE - Cyber Resilience Outreach Clinics for event details |
| Dampier | Thursday, 18 May | Please refer to IDCARE - Cyber Resilience Outreach Clinics for event details |
| Port Hedland Jimblebar Function Room, Wanangkura Stadium Hamilton Road South Hedland | Tuesday, 23 May | 11:00am - 12:30pm |
| Newman Newman House 15 Iron Ore Pde | Wednesday, 31 May | 11:00am - 12:30pm |
|
Djarindjin | Tuesday, 13 June | 10:00am - 12:30pm |
| Bidyadanga Community Services Centre | Wednesday, 14 June | 10:30am - 12:30pm |
| Broome | Thursday, 15 June | Please refer to IDCARE - Cyber Resilience Outreach Clinics for event details |
| Derby CWA Saturday Markets | Saturday, 17 June | 7am - 12pm |
| Fitzroy Crossing Fitzroy Crossing Flood Hub, shop front IGA building at Tarunda Lot 246 Forrest Road | Monday, 19 June | 10:30am - 12:30pm |
| Wyndham Wyndham Library 65 Koolama Street | Thursday, 6 July | 11am - 1pm |
| Karratha | Friday, 14 July |
Please refer to IDCARE - Cyber Resilience Outreach Clinics for event details |
More information about IDCARE and scams in WA
More than 1,200 Western Australians reported a record loss of almost $16 million to scams to ScamNet in 2022.
This loss is an increase of losses of nearly $1.2 million reported in 2021, and more than
$4 million reported in 2020. An Australian Competition and Consumer Commission survey reports about 13 per cent of scam losses are reported to regulators.
As scams have become more sophisticated, more Western Australians are falling victim and experiencing greater losses. The trends highlight the need to foster awareness and build resilience in the fight against cybercrimes, scams and identity theft.
IDCARE is Australia and New Zealand’s national identity and cyber incident community support service, a not-for-profit and registered Australian charity. Their outreach clinics in WA will provide much-needed support to communities impacted by identify theft and other cybersecurity incidents. Free information is provided at mobile pop-up clinics, and public information sessions working with local governments, chambers of commerce and industry groups, regional events, cultural centres and seniors groups.
Visitors to the clinics can expect to learn about:
- What causes the highest financial losses
- What criminals are targeting and how
- Examples of the latest scam calls, texts and emails
- The psychology of a professional scammer
- Remote access, data breaches and data breach notifications
- Keys to staying safe – physical, technical and behavioural
- IDCARE resources and how to access free community support services