Common scams

There are lots of ways people try to scam you out of your money. The scams might be online — through email, the internet and social media — or the scammers might come to your door or contact you by mail, phone or text.

Types of scams

Common scams include:

• phishing — an email or text that tries to trick you into providing your personal details
• computer virus scams — where you get a phone call saying your computer has been infected with a virus, which the caller can fix, as long as you give them your credit card details and remote access to your computer
• investment scams — you’re offered the chance of high returns for very little risk
• inheritance or lottery and competition scams — where you’re told you’ve inherited or won money, but you need to pay a fee or taxes before you can get your winnings
• online dating scams — where a person you’ve only met online and have become romantically attached to starts asking for money or wants your personal details
• door-to-door scams — where someone knocks on your door and offers to do a job for you for an upfront fee, and then does it badly or not at all
• phone scams — someone calls pretending to be from a government department or a well-known company, and asks for your personal information
• identity theft — people try to find out your personal details and passwords so they can use your details to steal money or set up fake identities.

Is this a scam? — Consumer Protection

What to do if you’ve been scammed

If you think or know that you’ve been scammed, report it to your bank and to Netsafe’s website.

Report a scam — Netsafe

Freephone: 0508 638 723 (NZ only)

Netsafe will get back to you with advice and may also pass your report to another agency, such as the police or Consumer Protection.

You can report a cyber security issue through CERT NZ.

Report a cyber security issue — CERT NZ

Protect yourself from scams

Putting a few security measures in place can help to protect you from scammers.

Phone and computer — how to protect yourself

• Use different, hard to guess passwords, such as a mix of numbers, letters, upper and lower case.
• Put a PIN on your phone.
• Do not reply to unsolicited emails or texts, or click on links in them.
• Use security software on your computer and keep it up to date.
• Do not open spam emails — report them to complaint@spam.govt.nz and then delete them.
• Hang up on cold callers offering investment opportunities.

How to avoid scams — Consumer Protection

Scam tips — Netsafe

Providers of financial services — check if they’re registered

Check that people and businesses offering financial services:

• are registered on the Financial Service Providers Register
• have the correct licences.

Financial Service Providers Register — New Zealand Companies Office