ID support sessions protecting regional NSW communities

Starting this month, and running until November, ID Support NSW will visit regional community events to teach people about protecting their identities online.

From Casino in the Northern Rivers and inland to Broken Hill residents will be provided with the knowledge on how to best protect their identity.

Events will include information on making a strong password, how multi-factor authentication works, tips on identifying scams, as well as providing tips on what to do if your identity is ever compromised.

ID Support NSW will also educate people on the risks associated with identity theft and explain how to replace documents such as a driver's licence, photo card or birth certificate if they are stolen or fraudulently obtained.

Community cybersecurity and privacy training to build digital literacy skills and help keep people safe online is one of the key pillars of the NSW Digital Inclusion strategy launched last week.

The Digital Inclusion Strategy is designed to address the challenges faced by vulnerable and disadvantaged communities when interacting online.

Consultation on the strategy revealed more than 80 per cent of respondents had experienced online scams, privacy breaches or harassment, with at-risk groups disproportionately affected. These sessions will ensure tailored advice and recommendations can be provided to at risk members of the community.

According to ScamWatch, Australians reported losing more than $2 billion to scams last year, with more than 67,000 scams reported by NSW residents alone.

ID Support NSW has conducted almost 100 support and information sessions across regional NSW in the past two years, reaching almost 5,000 people with the latest privacy and security advice from leading experts in the field.

Information regarding other ID Support NSW events, as well as how to book your own local ID Support NSW assistance event is available online on the ID Support NSW events web page.

Further information on how you can best protect your identity online, as well as other cybersecurity tips, is available via the NSW Government website.

The NSW Digital inclusion Strategy is available online on the NSW Digital Inclusion Strategy web page.

ID Support regional communities' calendar:

• 15 - 17 May 2025, Norco Primex Field Days, Richmond Valley Events Centre, Cassino Drive, Casino
• 23 - 24 July 2025, Let's Talk Broken Hill
• 23 - 25 September 2025, Henty Machinery Field Days, Cookardinia Road, Henty
• 3 - 6 October 2025, Koori Knockout, Riverside Sporting Complex, Tamworth
• 23 - 25 October 2025, Australian National Field Days, 563 Borenore Road, Borenore

Minister for Customer Service and Digital Government Jihad Dib said:

"Whether you live in the city or in the regions, you deserve to be able to protect your identity from scams, and these free of charge ID Support NSW sessions provide the opportunity for people to do this in a safe, non-judgemental space.

"Small business is the backbone of regional NSW communities and criminals will often target these businesses. The ID Support team can provide tailored advice to business owners on how to best protect their operations and employees from identity threats.

"We understand how distressing having your identity stolen can be, so I encourage regional communities to head out and equip yourself with the knowledge to avoid falling victim to sophisticated criminals."