As scammers increasingly target older Australians, the NSW Government is bringing free, practical digital safety support directly into communities throughout March.
As scammers increasingly target older Australians, the NSW Government is bringing free, practical digital safety support directly into communities throughout March.
Seniors across NSW will be able to build their digital confidence and learn how to stay safe from scams with ID Support NSW offering dedicated assistance during the 2026 NSW Seniors Festival.
ID Support NSW will kick off its NSW Seniors Festival roadshow in the Blue Mountains on 2 March before hosting a series of sessions across regional and metropolitan NSW, including at the Seniors Festival Expo at the ICC Sydney on 11-12 March.
In 2025 alone, people aged 55 years and older collectively reported more than $53 million in losses, with almost 85 per cent of people aged 50 and older believing they have come across or been a victim of a scam.
Some of the most common scams targeting this age group include parcel delivery scams, overdue payment scams, phishing scams, impersonation scams and tech support scams; these can often lead to identity theft.
Low digital literacy is a major factor leaving older people vulnerable to scams. Australians aged 75 and over reported to have the lowest digital abilities, scoring 32.1 points below the national average, while those aged 65 to 74 are 15.5 points below, according to the Australian Digital Inclusion Index.
To help close key digital gaps, the Minns Labor Government launched the NSW Digital Inclusion Strategy last year - the first comprehensive framework aimed at strengthening digital literacy and reducing vulnerabilities across the community.
The strategy is built around five pillars of connectivity, affordability, digital ability, accessibility, and digital trust and safety, and aims to ensure all people can participate online regardless of age, income, background or location.
With action led by ID Support NSW, the strategy supports seniors at risk of digital exclusion by helping them build the skills and confidence needed to navigate an increasingly digital environment.
At an ID Support NSW session, attendees will learn what support is available from the NSW Government, test the strength of their passwords, and have one-on-one support to uplift their online security and improve the privacy controls on their devices.
To find an online or in-person session across the state, head to the ID Support NSW website.
Residents can also test their passwords online and learn if it's been involved in a data breach via the ID Support NSW Password Strength tester.
Minister for Customer Service and Digital Government, Jihad Dib said:
"We want NSW seniors to feel confident navigating the digital world. Whether it's recognising a scam, managing passwords or accessing essential services online, the ID Support NSW team can help you build your digital skills.
"This program will make a difference by delivering support directly to seniors across NSW; we're committed to helping people stay safe, independent and informed.
"Improving digital literacy is a core pillar of the NSW Government's Digital Inclusion Strategy which aims to close the digital divide and strengthen cyber resilience across the community."
Minister for Seniors, Jodie Harrison said:
"The ID Support NSW Seniors Festival roadshow is about empowering older people in metro, regional and rural NSW to brush up on digital skills and boost scammer awareness.
"Holding the roadshow as part of the NSW Seniors Festival from 2-15 March will give more NSW Seniors the opportunity to improve their cyber security knowledge to prevent a potential scam.
"This initiative builds on NSW Government programs to support older people to develop their digital literacy, including Tech Savvy Seniors, which runs regular digital sessions on a range of topics at over 70 libraries and community colleges statewide."
NSW Chief Cyber Security Officer, Marie Patane said:
"As life becomes increasingly digital, it is important no one gets left behind. ID Support helps seniors gain confidence and tools to stay safe online.
"With more than $53 million lost to scams by people aged 55 and older in NSW last year, our commitment to digital inclusion is not just timely, it's essential.
"These sessions give seniors practical, real-world skills to recognise threats before they cause harm."
