National Anti-Scam Centre’s Aged Care Forum on Romance Scams

You’re invited to the National Anti-Scam Centre’s Aged Care Forum on Romance Scams, to be held online on Wednesday 19 November, 2:00 – 3:45 PM AEDT.

Why this forum matters 

In 2024, scammers stole over $156 million from Australians through romance scams, with consumers aged 55+ suffering the greatest losses. Romance scammers deceive their victims through emotional manipulation and social engineering, fabricating elaborate stories to encourage their victims to send money. Many reports regarding older victims are made by concerned third parties including in-home and residential carers. Evidence indicates that older Australians are more hesitant to disengage from a romance scam, suggesting that a coordinated, consistent approach to disengagement is essential for supporting this cohort.  

Aged care service providers and client-facing staff have unique opportunities to support older Australians’ resilience to romance scams. Through this free online forum for the aged care sector, the National Anti-Scam Centre is seeking to:

• Hear your experiences of romance scams targeting older Australians.  
• Equip client-facing staff and management with knowledge and resources to better identify, protect against, and respond to romance scams. 
• Share current trends and risks associated with romance scams (and other scam types generally). 
• Explore collaborative approaches to awareness and prevention. 
• Provide opportunities for you to ask any questions you may have. 

How you can participate

To RSVP, and to help us shape the content for the event, please email clayton.fopp@accc.gov.au by Monday 10 November and let us know: 

1. Your name, email address, and organisation. 
2. Optional: Any questions for the National Anti-Scam Centre that you’d like answered. (You’ll also be able to ask questions on the day)  
3. Optional: Any experience you or your staff have had with romance scams, and if you’d be willing to share these briefly in the forum. 

An agenda, meeting link, and other information will be sent to participants closer to the event. In the meantime, please mark Wednesday 19 November, 2:00 – 3:45 PM AEDT in your diary, and if you’d like more information about the National Anti-Scam Centre, please visit nasc.gov.au. 

Please don’t hesitate to get in touch with Clayton Fopp at the email above if you have any questions or would like to know more.

We look forward to seeing you at the forum!