General News
11 March, 2025
Workshops to prevent scamming in the community
With scams on the rise, ARC Justice is helping the Maryborough community against fraudsters with a free scam awareness workshop.
Scam Smart, Protect Your Money, will be held at the Maryborough Community House with an aim to equip attendees with practical tools to recognise, prevent and protect themselves from scams.
ARC Justice CEO Damian Stock said scams are becoming more sophisticated, costing Australians millions of dollars each year.
“Scammers are constantly evolving their tactics and un-fortunately many people only realise they’ve been targeted after it’s too late,” he said.
Regional communities are also more vulnerable to scams due to limited access to support services.
“This workshop will provide valuable tips on spotting fraudulent schemes, safeguarding personal information and staying safe online. Everyone can benefit from understanding how to identify and avoid scams,” Mr Stock said.
According to Scamwatch, data from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission showed Victoria recorded the second highest losses to scamming in Australia in 2024, seeing a total loss of nearly $70 million from 57,051 reported scams.
The most common types of scams reported by Victorians were investment scams, phishing, and false billing.
The top contact methods that scammers used to reach their victims was via email, text message and phone call.
Already in 2025, Victorians have seen a total loss of just over $5 million from 4260 reported scams.
Common types of scams reported in 2025 include investment scams, fake job ads and phishing.
Men were slightly more likely to become victims of scamming, making up 56 percent of Victorians that reported them.
The age groups at the highest risk of scams were 65 and over and 55- 64, both losing over $14 million each to scams in 2024.
Regardless, ARC Justice strongly advises anyone can still become a victim of scams.
“This is an issue that affects people of all ages and backgrounds. We want to empower the Maryborough community with knowledge so they can protect their finances and personal information,” Mr Stock said.
In addition to the financial cost, scams also have a devastating emotional impacts on victims.
With a variety of scams increasing, ARC Justice is helping locals stay alert.
Bookings are encouraged for the free workshop, which will be held on Monday, March 17 from 2 to 3 pm.