Older Australians across the New England and the state will be offered free, face-to-face support to help protect themselves from scams, as the state government rolls out a digital safety roadshow during next month’s NSW Seniors Festival.
ID Support NSW will deliver practical sessions throughout March aimed at building digital confidence and strengthening online safety skills among seniors, who continue to be disproportionately targeted by scammers.
The roadshow begins in the Blue Mountains on 2 March before travelling to regional and metropolitan locations across the state. It will also feature at the NSW Seniors Festival Expo at the International Convention Centre in Sydney on 11 and 12 March.
The initiative comes amid mounting financial losses among older residents. In 2025 alone, people aged 55 and over reported more than $53 million in scam-related losses. Almost 85 per cent of people aged 50 and older believe they have encountered or fallen victim to a scam.
Common scams affecting this age group include parcel delivery and overdue payment scams, phishing, impersonation and fake tech support calls — many of which can lead to identity theft.
Low levels of digital literacy remain a key vulnerability. According to the Australian Digital Inclusion Index, Australians aged 75 and over score 32.1 points below the national average for digital ability, while those aged 65 to 74 score 15.5 points lower.
The state government last year launched the NSW Digital Inclusion Strategy, a framework designed to improve connectivity, affordability, digital ability, accessibility, and digital trust and safety across the community. ID Support NSW is leading efforts under the strategy to support seniors at risk of digital exclusion.
At each session, attendees can learn about government support services, test the strength of their passwords, and receive one-on-one help to improve device privacy settings and online security.
Minister for Customer Service and Digital Government Jihad Dib said the program was designed to help seniors feel more confident online.
“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,” Mr Dib said.
“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 holding the roadshow as part of the statewide festival would broaden its reach.
“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,” Ms Harrison said.
“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 the financial toll of scams underlined the urgency of the program.
“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,” Ms Patane said.
“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.”
Residents can find upcoming sessions, access online support and use the ID Support NSW password strength tester via the agency’s website.
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