NSW Fair Trading Minister Matthew Mason-Cox held a seminar that focused on how to avoid becoming the victim of a con artist at Ashton Gardens Retirement Village yesterday, after a spate of phone scams across the state.

He said seniors were among the most vulnerable groups that scammers targeted, so Fair Trading had planned seminars in retirement villages across  NSW.

“Anyone can fall victim to a scam,” Mr Mason-Cox said.

“NSW Fair Trading wants everyone, particularly vulnerable members of the community, to be aware of potential scams. Every year, Australians lose millions of dollars to the activities of scammers.”

The Mercury has reported numerous incidents of scammers targeting elderly people in the Hunter this year.

Mr Mason-Cox said the recent spate generally involved scammers telling people that a legitimate organisation, like a bank or the government, owed them money.

“Others make some fantastic offer, such as big discounts on airfares,” he said.

“The caller will ask you for personal details such as a birth date, driver’s licence, bank account or credit card details. 

“The scammers may also ask you to pay a fee to obtain the alleged money you are owed or request that you send this fee by wire transfer.’’

Maitland MP Robyn Parker said residents should immediately hang up the phone if they suspect a scammer is on the other end of the line.

“Older people in the ­community are a target for people who act unscrupulously and take advantage of ­people’s vulnerability for their own gain,” she said.