In 2022, CALD communities made up almost five per cent of reports to Scamwatch with almost $56.6 million in reported losses. People who mainly speak a language other than English at home are more likely to be a victim of malware, identity crime and misuse, and scams and fraud.
The top scams impacting people who speak English as a second language in Australia in 2023 were investment scams, employment scams, romance scams, and Identity theft.
As the nation-leading identity support unit working to minimise the risks associated with identity theft, ID Support NSW is working to strengthen people’s cyber resilience no matter their background or what language they speak.
ID Support NSW is assisting CALD communities with free, 60-minute translated sessions, where participants will learn how to spot a scam, run a credit check, recognise the importance of creating and maintaining strong passwords.
Attendees can also ask the experts in the ID Support team any questions or concerns they have.
The first session will take place at Fairfield Library on 22 February and will be translated into Arabic.
The second session will take place at Cabramatta Library on 29 February and will be translated into Vietnamese.
The NSW Government has also launched a tool for people to choose stronger passwords and better protect their personal information online, including email, banking and social media accounts.
The Password Strength Tester allows users to check whether a potential password has been previously breached or leaked, test how long it would take for a hacker to crack the password using a computer bot and provides a rating based on the strength of the password.
More information can be found on the ID Support NSW website:
Quotes to be attributed to Chief Digital and Information Officer Laura Christie:
“Cyber criminals aren’t restricted by language barriers, and ID Support NSW understands the critical need to support CALD communities in safeguarding their personal information amid evolving cyber threats.”
“These sessions reflect our commitment to inclusivity and accessibility, ensuring that language doesn’t stand in the way of cyber resilience. Together, we can equip individuals with the knowledge and tools to identify scams, fortify passwords, and mitigate risks of identity theft."
Quotes to be attributed to Minster for Customer Service and Digital Government Jihad Dib:
“The numbers speak for themselves; roughly 60 per cent of CALD seniors are concerned about being victims of identity theft or a fraud, more than a quarter do not believe they can protect their identity online, and nearly a third do not believe they can handle the situation at all if they become a victim of a data breach.”
“These translated sessions represent an important step towards empowering CALD communities with the knowledge and skills necessary to navigate the digital landscape securely.
“ID Support NSW is not only equipping communities with the tools to shield themselves from identity crime, but it is also delivering resources in the languages they are most comfortable with, ensuring they can feel confident in their learning journey."
