Commerce Minister Sue Ellery and Warren-Blackwood MLA Jane Kelsbie run scam prevention workshop in Bridgetown

Commerce Minister Sue Ellery and Warren-Blackwood MLA Jane Kelsbie ran a scam prevention forum in Bridgetown on December 13. Along with Commissioner for Consumer Protection Trish Blake, the pair organised the session to educate people on the signs of a scam so they can protect themselves and their loved ones. The forum encouraged participants to ‘practice the pause’ - stopping and thinking about whether a person or organisation is legitimate before transferring money, clicking links or responding to phone calls and texts. A total of 1203 West Australians lost a record-breaking total of $15,988,513 to scams last year. Ms Kelsbie said she was pleased with the turnout of around 20 people at the forum. “Education and awareness are key to putting these fraudsters out of business and making sure their criminal activities are not rewarded,” she said. “We all need take a moment to really scrutinise the decisions we’re making so we don’t end up paying the price. “I urge everyone to become scam smart, spread the word about how to identify and avoid scams and contact Consumer Protection. My electorate office is also open if locals are in need of assistance or advice.” Scams can be reported at the WA ScamNet website, which also features additional information and advice.