With scams and cybercrime rapidly on the rise across the world, Redland City Council is taking steps to help protect the community through hosting a series of free sessions on how to stay safe online.
Acting Mayor Julie Talty said Council, through the Digital Transformation Program, was pleased to support delivery of a series of Cyber Resilience Outreach Clinics across Redlands Coast’s mainland and islands in partnership with cyber security organisation IDCARE.
“As we move deeper into the digital age, scammers and online criminals are becoming more skilled, and anybody can become a target,” she said.
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“We don’t need to be fearful, we just need to be informed.
“These sessions are being delivered by IDCARE, a national leader in scam, identity and cybercrime support, and will offer residents valuable insights on how to identify and protect themselves from scams, identity theft and other forms of online harm.”
IDCARE’s National Manager of Outreach and Engagement, Kathy Sundstrom, said Redlands Coast residents were not immune to scams and cybercrime.
“IDCARE’s data shows in the first six months of 2025, residents in Redlands reported over $2.7 million in financial losses as a result of a scam cyber incident to our National Case Management Centre – an average of $36,491 per case,” Ms Sundstrom said.
“This is approximately $10,000 higher per case than the average money lost Australia-wide and is a reason for concern.
“What’s interesting in Redlands is that financial losses from phishing text messages are the highest of any scam type – even higher than the financial losses from investment scams which is unusual.
“IDCARE will spend time in the sessions next week helping people understand how these scams work and what to look out for.”
The Acting Mayor said Council was proud to be hosting the IDCARE clinics to help build greater cyber confidence within the community.
“Having the right information about cybercrime and how cybercriminals operate is the first step towards staying safe online,” Cr Talty said.
“Whether people are recovering from a cyber incident or are seeking ways to better protect themselves, these sessions will have something for everyone.”
The free Cyber Resilience Outreach Clinics will be held at the following times and locations:
- Point Lookout Community Hall, East Coast Road, Point Lookout, North Stradbroke Island/Minjerribah. Wednesday 16 July 2025: 10.30am–11.30am
- Cleveland Library, Middle Street, Cleveland. Wednesday 16 July 2025: 2pm–3pm (note: this session will have real time captioning for those with hearing difficulties)
- Russell Island Recreation Hall, 1 Alison Crescent, Russell Island. Friday 18 July 2025: 10am–11am
- Capalaba Library, Capalaba Central Shopping Centre, Moreton Bay Road, Capalaba. Saturday 19 July 2025: 2pm–3pm
Each session is capped at 40 participants.
To register, visit the ‘What’s On at your Library’ page on Council’s website and search for ‘cybercrime session’.
