Greater Shepparton City Council will conduct two training sessions on Scam Awareness: how you can spot a scam on 1 June 2020 at 11:00am and 6:00PM

Scams targeting multicultural communities on the rise

Scams across Australia have been on the rise in recent years, but the growth in losses has been more pronounced in culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities like Gewa’s, according to an ACCC report. In 2020 alone, CALD communities lost $22 million to scams, an increase of some 60% on the 2019 figures.

CALD communities ‘more vulnerable’

Delia Rickard, deputy chair of the ACCC, tells CHOICE these figures, which are only the losses reported to ScamWatch or financial institutions, are probably a gross underestimation.

She says CALD communities are probably less likely to report scam losses than the broader community due to cultural factors and the spectre of shame in small, tight-knit communities.

CALD communities are probably less likely to report scam losses than the broader community due to cultural factors

Preventing scams and protecting communities

Donna Askew, director of partnerships and community development at Eastern Community Legal Centre in Melbourne, says they have worked extensively in collaboration with local community groups to develop scam prevention and education materials delivered in English and translated into 12 community languages.

“We absolutely do see targeting by scammers preying on vulnerabilities of certain communities,” she says.

“People can be targeted across all ages and cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds – but in particular CALD communities, older people, those experiencing financial distress, and people with English as a second language and sometimes lower levels of literacy or unstable visa status.”

Attend Scam Awareness Training Sessions

DATE: Wednesday 1 June 2022 TIME: 11am and 6pm LOCATION: Shepparton Senior Citizens Centre

132 Welsford St SHEPPARTON VIC 3630

Join your nbn™ Local team representative Charlene Donovan, at a community education and information session.

This is a great opportunity to gain an understanding of different types of scams and receive information about how to avoid being scammed.

Bookings essential:

11am session https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/scam-awareness-tickets-310265641887
6pm session https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/copy-of-scam-awareness-tickets-310267346987

she was contacted (in Mandarin)

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	The Ethnic Council of Shepparton and District acknowledges the Yorta Yorta People of the land which comprises the Goulburn Valley. We pay respect to tribal Elders, past, present and emerging and we celebrate their continuing culture and acknowledge the memory of their ancestors.
	The Ethnic Council of Shepparton and District is a peak body whose mission is to promote and represent the social, cultural and economic well-being of ethnic communities in the Goulburn Valley Region through the provision of quality and innovative settlement, refugee support, community development, and information and advocacy services.