(L-R) are Jonathan Leakey, author and scam survivor; Justice Minister Naomi Long; William McCaughey, chairperson of Mid & East Antrim Agewell Partnership; and Jenny Marshall, Executive Director Mid & East Antrim Agewell Partnership.
Justice Minister Naomi Long has outlined how partnership working is building safer communities.
The Minister was speaking at the opening of a scam awareness conference which took place this week in Ballymena.
Addressing the ‘Challenging the Scamdemic’ conference, Naomi Long highlighted PSNI figures that show on average more than 100 reports a week* are made to Action Fraud about fraud in Northern Ireland – resulting in almost £19million in reported losses.
The Minister said:
“The threat associated with scams continues to increase, with the nature of offending becoming increasingly enabled by the use of modern technology. Scams are particularly cruel, often the perpetrators prey on someone’s loneliness, vulnerability, fear or kindness.
“Legislative measures alone will not solve the problem and that is why my Department is fully committed to working with all partners, including the community and voluntary sector to support preventative action, raise awareness and ensure we have a community where we all feel safe to live and work.”
Justice Minister Naomi Long is pictured at the Challenging the Scamdemic: A Community Scam Awareness Conference, which was held in The Braid Arts Centre, Ballymena by Mid & East Antrim Agewell Partnership.
The event in the Braid Arts Centre was organised by Mid & East Antrim Agewell Partnership, which supports older people living in Ballymena, Larne and Carrickfergus.
Its Executive Director, Jenny Marshall said:
“Many older adults in our community have fallen victim to scams or know someone who has, often with devastating consequences for individuals and their families. This highlights the urgent need for awareness and action at all levels.
“As a local charity supporting older people, we are committed to equipping our community with the knowledge and resources to prevent fraud and financial exploitation.
“Thanks to the support of our project funders, who recognise the importance of this initiative, we have been able to share vital information on staying safe in an ever-changing world.”
Department of Justice supports several partnerships working to tackle the threat of scams including:
Scamwise NI – DoJ is one of more than 45 partners who work collaboratively to provide information and advice to keep the public informed, aware and vigilant.
Policing and Community Safety Partnerships (PCSPs) – DoJ and the NIPB provides £4.25m joint annual operational funding to PCSPs across the 11 council areas.
Crimestoppers – DoJ contributes 50% funding for the regional manager’s salary.
Executive Programme on Paramilitarism and Organised Crime – building community resilience and supporting individuals at risk of exploitation by paramilitaries.
*Figures from the PSNI show that in the 12 months ending 31 October 2024 there were over 5,200 reports made to Action Fraud about fraud in NI.