Mid & East Antrim Agewell Partnership to host scam awareness conference in Ballymena

‘Challenging the Scamdemic – A Community Scam Awareness Conference’ will take place on Wednesday, March 19 (10am-3pm) at The Braid Arts Centre.

The organisation, which supports older people living in Ballymena, Larne and Carrickfergus said: “As the number of scams continues to rise, this conference is an opportunity to learn about the impact of scams; discover how communities can stand together to challenge the 'scamdemic', and gain practical tools and skills to support those affected by scams.”

The event is open to all including the general public, community and voluntary groups, and professionals in support roles.

The conference will feature expert speakers and scam victims who will share vital tips on protecting yourself and your loved ones.

Anyone interested in attending the event can register by contacting the Agewell Office on 028 25658604 or online at www.meaap.co.uk/events.

There will be a free lunch and goodie bag for all attendees.

Mid and East Antrim Agewell Partnership also provides a text alert service designed to help protect older people from becoming victims of fraud.

Jenny Marshall, Executive Director of Community Programmes at Agewell said: “Scams are something that are very prevalent for us because of the people we work with. The problem is they move very fast so you are constantly battling the next scam; you could print out literature on the scams that are out there, but it’d very quickly be out of date.”

‘ScamSavvy’ provides a weekly text message highlighting the scams that are currently in circulation, ensuring the information is as up-to-date as possible.