Central Coast Council is hosting a free talk at The Entrance Library today on current scams and ways in which the community can protect themselves and their loved ones.

Most members of the community are contacted by scammers at some point in their lives, whether in person, online, by phone or by text message.

Council is committed to investing in educating the community so they can learn to recognise scams and avoid being a victim to them.

Council Group Leader, Ms Julie Vaughan, said education was key in protecting the community from scammers.

“Scammers can be very savvy and often target vulnerable members of our community, so we need to ensure we arm them with the tools they need to protect themselves,” Ms Vaughn said.

“Phishing, where scammers harvest personal information, is another problem – so residents should avoid filling out forms online that ask for personal information.”

Presented by the NSW Department of Fair Trading, the session will look at some common myths about scams, including where people believe websites that use an Australian phone number, website or email address are not scams.

The fact is scammers deliberately set up Australian telephone numbers, websites and email addresses as a front so they can channel money overseas.

The session will also include information on where to go for help if you or someone you know has fallen victim to a scam.

Council Administrator, Mr Ian Reynolds, said Council was committed to investing in the community and making sure they had the knowledge and skills to protect themselves.

“Scams are designed to trick people into giving money away and/or personal details – they succeed because they look like the real thing,” Mr Reynolds said.

“The frail, elderly and the young are particularly vulnerable to scammers, and we urge them to learn how to protect themselves.

“Don’t respond to suspicious emails or letters, and never respond to emails that ask for your banking details. This kind of information is almost never requested by banks via email. It’s almost always done over the phone or in person with a strict security process.”

Bookings are essential. Call The Entrance Library on 4350 1550.

The talk will run 10.30am – 11.30am today.

Morning tea will be served afterwards.