NSW Government offers free face‍-‍to‍-‍face scam support for seniors

The NSW Government has announced a program of bringing free digital safety support to the state’s seniors in March.

The dedicated support program offered by ID Support NSW during the 2026 NSW Seniors Festival NSW aims to help seniors across NSW to build their digital confidence and learn how to stay safe from scams.

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% 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 are 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.

“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,” said Minister for Seniors Jodie Harrison. “Holding the roadshow as part of the NSW Seniors Festival from 2–15 March will give more NSW Seniors the opportunity to improve their cybersecurity knowledge to prevent a potential scam.”

To help close key digital gaps, the Minns Labor government launched the NSW Digital Inclusion Strategy last year — a framework aimed at strengthening digital literacy and reducing vulnerabilities across the community.

The strategy is built around the 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.

“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,” said Minister for Customer Service and Digital Government Jihad Dib. “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.”

Image credit: iStock.com/millann