Cybersecurity clinics to tour North West as $15.9m losses lay vulnerabilities bare

The State Government has partnered with Australian and New Zealand national identity and cyber support service IDCARE to deliver 20 cybersecurity clinics across the North West. The tour will visit 20 locations across the State, including Roebourne, Port Hedland, Newman, Bidyadanga, Derby, Fitzroy Crossing, Halls Creek and Wyndham. Clinics will start on April 3 in Collie and will continue northwards, with the final clinic scheduled to be held in Wyndham on July 6. Commerce Minister Sue Ellery said the clinics were brought forward in response to an increase in West Australians, especially those living in remote and regional areas, falling victim to scams. “A record 1203 West Australians reported total scam losses of $15.9m to ScamNet in 2022, a $1.1m increase from the 1041 losses reported in 2021,” she said. “IDCARE has found Australians living in remote and regional communities are three times more likely to be impacted by cybercrime and scams than their city counterparts and experience higher financial losses. “This alarming data show that as scams become more sophisticated, more West Australians are falling victim to them, resulting in larger losses.” Ms Ellery said each clinic would be tailored to the requirements and issues affecting consumers in the area it was held in. “Locations were also selected based on WA ScamNet and IDCARE data, geographical events that attract scammers, such as the Kimberley floods, and requests from community,” she said. “This government is committed to improving cybersecurity in WA and preventing malicious cyber activity at every opportunity and will continue to support education and awareness to protect our communities.” People interested in attending a clinic can keep up to date by following the Consumer Protection WA Facebook or Instagram pages for regular updates.