Money Smart for Seniors

ECCV partnered with the Australian Multicultural Community Services (AMCS) to deliver an important information session on scams and financial abuse.

Older Australians are losing more money to scams than any other age group, nearly 70 million dollars alone between January and September 2025, according to data from the National Anti-Scam Centre.

While government agencies, like Scamwatch and the ACCC, along with other organisations offer excellent information and tools, often translated in multiple languages, these resources are primarily available online. And for many seniors, especially those from migrant and refugee backgrounds, digital skills and confidence remain major barriers.

To help bridge this gap, the Australian Multicultural Community Services (AMCS) has developed Smart Money for Seniors, a project that provides engaging resources to community leaders and groups. The goal is to empower seniors to prevent, identify and respond to scams, fraud and financial abuse, in ways that feel accessible and meaningful.

Face-to-face learning opportunities with friends and other community members are particularly valued by seniors. This is why ECCV Ageing Well Lead Hayat Doughan recently partnered with AMCS to facilitate an information session to the Al-Emaan seniors’ group.

Delivered in English and Arabic, the presentation helped participants understand the difference between a scam and fraud, how to recognise financial abuse from loved ones and trusted people, and how to spot suspicious activities.

.With scams becoming increasingly sophisticated, it is vital to stay alert to text and social media messages, phone calls and letters from strangers claiming to be Medicare, internet providers, bank operators or tax collectors.

The session also offered tips on protecting personal and financial information, for example:

• Use stronger passwords and two-factor authentication for online accounts.​
• Regularly update antivirus software
• Regularly monitor the activities on your account ​
• Never click on suspicious links or attachments in emails ​
• Avoid using public Wi-Fi for sensitive transactions​
• Contact your bank immediately if you suspect fraud​.

It concluded with safe and practical steps to take if targeted by a scam and useful links for additional information. The group left empowered and eager to share learnings with other community members.

To learn more on AMCS’ Money Smart for Seniors, visit the ACMS website

For more information on ECCV’s Ageing Well project, click here