Scam & Scones: Celebrating Scam Awareness Month with Purpose & Impact

Cyber Capability

27 Aug

As we celebrate Scam Awareness Week, we’re reminded of the importance of staying alert to scams and protecting our communities. At CyberWest Hub, we’re proud to support this initiative as part of our mission to help Western Australians build digital confidence and stay safe online. Through education, community programs, and partnerships, we make cybersecurity accessible and practical for everyone.

This week, we’ve been on the ground delivering impactful events that brought scam awareness and cyber capability directly to the community:

📍 Scams and Scones at the City of Joondalup Library - Joondalup

In partnership with the City of Joondalup, we welcomed 54 community members for an engaging scam awareness session. The session began with CyberWest Hub Director, Emma O'Neil, introducing the Hub’s mandate and why we do the work we do—empowering communities to thrive safely in a digital world. This was followed by an interactive presentation from cyber expert Caitriona Forde, who shared practical tips on how to stop, check, and protect against scams, empowering attendees with simple, actionable steps they can take to protect themselves and their loved ones online. We had the privilege of hearing from Tess, a remarkable 90-year-old woman, who shared her experience with scams.

🎥 Big thanks to 7NEWS Australia for capturing the event and Tess's Story—try and spot us on the news this Friday!

🙏 Special thanks to our student volunteers, Felipe, Christine & Tahia.

📍 hashtag#CyberEssentials Workshop at City of Gosnells Local Business Forum

CyberWest Hub was invited to participate in the City of Gosnells Local Business Forum, where we delivered a dedicated session titled hashtag#FutureProofYourBusiness. This workshop focused on the Cyber Essentials—the foundational practices every small business should adopt to protect against common cyber threats.

We explored the real-world impact of cyber risks such as phishing, ransomware, and data breaches, and shared practical, easy-to-implement strategies to strengthen digital resilience. The session emphasised how adopting Cyber Essentials can help businesses safeguard their operations, customer data, and reputation in an increasingly digital economy.

🙏 Special thanks to Linda Talevski and Teresa Jacobson from the City of Gosnells for the opportunity to engage with the Gosnells business community.

💬 These events reflect our ongoing commitment to digital inclusion, scam awareness, and cyber capability-building across WA.

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🔐 Let’s keep the momentum going.

Cybersecurity is a shared responsibility—and awareness is the first step.

✅ Follow CyberWest Hub for upcoming events, practical resources, and community programs.
✅ Visit cyberwesthub.au to learn more and get involved.