Scams

A scammer’s goal is to steal your money or personal information. Find out about some common scams and what to do if you’ve been targeted.

Scams can be hard to spot and are constantly changing. If you’re not sure whether something is a scam, check with the organisation directly.

A scam can show up anywhere—like on the phone or in a text message, on the street, and through the provision of goods and services. They are also present online.

The Department of Internal Affairs has information about what to do if you are the target of an identify theft.

What to do if you have been targeted

If you've been scammed then it’s important to take some immediate steps to try and protect yourself and others who may be harmed. There is no need to be embarrassed or ashamed—scammers use sophisticated tactics to take advantage of others.

Contact your bank immediately

Get in touch with your bank and monitor your accounts for unauthorised transactions, even if you did not give away any personal information or bank or card details.

Change your passwords

Change your passwords immediately if you think one or more of your online accounts may be compromised.

Reach out to trusted individuals

Talk with someone you trust about the situation. This could be a family member, friend, teacher, or adviser. They can provide you with support and help you make informed decisions. It’s normal to feel overwhelmed. Tauria—Student Conflict and Interest Resolution can confidentially support you to make scam reports and connect you with other services that may be useful.

Common scams to be aware of

Courier delivery scams

You are told you have won something, been selected to take part in a survey, or need to pay customs duty on a package you ordered.

Marketplace scams

In a buyer scam, the buyer never receives items sold or the items are significantly different from those advertised. In seller scam, the seller insists on a fee to initiate delivery, and this occurs through a website designed to obtain your bank account details.

Phishing

Telltale signs of phishing scams include emails with:

  • a sense of urgency
  • an email address that masks the sender. For example, an email may appear to come from your bank but the address is a gmail address
  • poor grammar and punctuation
  • links that lead somewhere unusual or an address not associated with the business (hover your mouse over a link to see where it goes without clicking)
  • deals that are too good to be true.

Ransomware

Ransomware encrypts and blocks access to your files or system until you have paid a ransom. However, there is no guarantee that your files will be unencrypted and released if you pay the ransom. Update your software, keep regular off-device and cloud-based backups, and use antivirus software, firewalls, and disable macros.

Immigration

Scammers often target people looking to obtain visas because they are invested in a goal (entry to New Zealand) and unlikely to be familiar with Immigration New Zealand processes. Immigration New Zealand is the government authority for immigration—check their website for common immigration scams.

Impersonation

Scammers may impersonate an organisation or person to trick you into providing bank account details.

Sextortion and revenge porn

Sextortion is a form of blackmail, where someone claims they have recorded your visiting pornographic websites and will share this information. Revenge porn is where someone shares unsolicited nudes of you, or images that have been digitally altered to resemble you (a “deep fake”).

Find out more about sexually harmful behaviour.

Tech support

You receive a random phone call offering technical support from someone claiming that your devices or connections are at risk in some way. They will offer to help you and, in doing so, ask for access to your computer. This access allows them to install malware or gain access to your personal information and bank accounts.

Vehicle licencing

A fake notification from the New Zealand Transport Agency saying that your rego is due and takes you to a fake website. Find out more about New Zealand Transport Agency scams.