Tracy Hall

How do you remain intact when the storms of life come knocking at your door? The uncomfortable truth is we will all face adversity in our lives and adversity doesn't discriminate. Tracy Hall had experienced her fair share of life's challenges before she even met the man who would go on to steal her life savings. Through deep reflection and time, she has come to recognise the building blocks and hacks that saw her through some of her darkest moments.

- Adversity doesn't discriminate - Adversity leads to resilience
- 3 step process to handle any type of adversity
- Acceptance
- Agency
- Action
- Practical, honest, vulnerable and direct advice on how to think about challenges in one’s own life
- Rebuilding trust after deep betrayal

Thanks to AI scams and fraud have evolved considerably with deepfake celebrity endorsements, sextortion, voice cloning and more. Criminal syndicates are said to be 2 years ahead of any Government agency in the world with the development of their AI technology which means we are more at risk than ever to fall prey to scams.

On the flip side - organisations, Government and law enforcement are also using AI to supercharge their efforts to counter organised crime in this space.

Learn what is happening on both sides of the coin to decide if AI is helpful or harmful for our communities when it comes to scams and fraud.

In 2023, Australians lost $2.74 billion to scams and fraud, with the average loss per victim being around $18,000. Seniors aged 65 and over are particularly at risk, reporting over 70,000 scams and suffering losses totaling more than $120 million. Given that this demographic represents 17% of Australia’s population (about 4.3 million people), it's crucial to equip them with the knowledge and tools to protect themselves. This practical and hands on workshop will educate the participants and help them to identify and prevent common scams targeting seniors.

- Types of Scams: Understanding the common types of scams prevalent in Australia today showing real life examples of each, including:
- Online Scams: Phishing emails, fake websites, and social media scams
- Phone Scams: Robocalls, SMS scams, and voice phishing
- Investment Scams: Fake investment opportunities and Ponzi schemes
- Romance Scams: Scammers who exploit emotional connections to defraud victims
- Recognising Red Flags: Identifying warning signs of scams, such as unsolicited communications, offers that seem too good to be true, or pressure to act quickly.
- Prevention Strategies: Learning practical steps to protect personal information, secure online accounts, and verify the legitimacy of unsolicited contacts.
- Response Tactics: Knowing what to do if targeted by a scam, including reporting processes and steps to getting victim support or mitigate damage if scammed
- Resources and Support: Accessing support services and reliable resources for ongoing education and assistance.

Trust forms the bedrock of our relationships and influences our interactions on various levels - most of which are subconscious and fuelled by cognitive biases. Join us as we unravel the layers of trust, vulnerability, and stepping out of the victim identity, equipping you and your teams with the knowledge and tools to foster trusting relationships, embrace vulnerability, and cultivate resilience in all aspects of life.

- Exploration and understanding of why we trust and our biological propensity to trust
- Invisible contracts of trust
- Intuition v cognitive biases
- Normalising vulnerability
- Scepticism v Cynicism

The $2.74B Industry We Need To Be Talking About (SXSW Keynote)
Lessons in Financial Vulnerability from a Con Man’s Last Victim
The Price of Trust - A Story of Resilience

Australian's lost $2.74B to scams and fraud in 2023. 30% of people don't report so we can assume this figure is much higher. We are all being targeted and we all know someone who has lost money to a scam. Through sharing and recounting her experiences with Hamish McLaren, Tracy explores in depth just how insidious and calculated intimate fraud can be. She shares details of her journey with raw vulnerability and explores the devastating impact of scams and fraud both financially and emotionally on victims. Tracy will also provide deep insight on the shame and secrecy around losing money and how to reduce financial vulnerability by educating and empowering people through financial literacy, scam education and digital vigilance. By building awareness and empathy, organisations can reduce risk and protect their brand (and hearts) with financially vigilant and resilient teams.

Key Takeaways:
- Vulnerable and raw explanation of how Hamish McLaren stole Tracy's life savings and $100m globally
- Understanding and acknowledging this can happen to anyone
- Reflect on one's own financial vulnerability, security & empowerment
- Understand scam types, tactics and behaviours
- Explore red flags associated with these psychological & financial crimes
- How to protect yourself and your business - humans are the first and last line of defense (and sometimes the weakest)
- Top tips & tricks to remain confident and vigilant
- Advice to move forward with confidence and optimism