Fraud, scams & identity theft

Modern fraud is designed by professionals to hook in people even if they are careful.

If something feels wrong, trust your feelings.

Signs you may be dealing with a scammer:

• urgency — they are saying act now, face consequences or miss out
• you're asked not to tell anyone
• they want payment by gift card, cryptocurrency (like Bitcoin) or international bank transfer
• they promise high returns with little risk
• the person will not meet you in person or by video call
• they ask you to install software or let someone control your computer or phone from a distance
• information is changing or details don't add up
• you feel pressured or questions are discouraged.

If you think you are being scammed, stop all contact immediately:

• hang up, close the chat or walk away from your device. Block them if you can
• do not send any more money
• do not install software or programs. If you have, uninstall it now or ask someone you trust to do this for you
• do not use any number or website given to you by the scammer
• be aware that they may try to contact you again, using a different channel or a new persona.

Call your bank directly using the number on your bank card or the bank's website. Most banks have a 24-hour fraud line. They will guide you through the next steps.

Secure your accounts — use a different device if possible:

• change your email password
• change your banking password
• turn on two-step verification where possible
• if you installed any software requested by the scammer, uninstall it
• do not use any contact details the caller gave you
• do not contact a support service that reached out to you — this could be part of the scam.

To ensure your device is clean you can restore factory settings or ask a technician or someone you trust to help you do this.

Keep all records of what happened.

Save what you can of:

• text messages, emails, social media messages
• calls, phone numbers, voicemails 
• banking and transaction records, transfer confirmations, receipts, screenshots of payments
• photos and documents
• websites and links sent to you by the scammer.

Write down what you can remember of dates, amounts, names and what was said.

If possible, save copies to a different device than the one used with the scammer. Keep saving evidence as it arrives.

Gathering evidence can feel overwhelming when you are feeling upset or stressed.  Do what you can and ask someone you trust for support if you need it.

You might feel anxious or worried that it might happen again.

Checking that the scamming activity has stopped can help.

Keep checking for suspicious activity and check back through your accounts for anything new or unfamiliar. Follow up with your bank if you have ongoing concerns. If there is anything new, contact your bank immediately.

• turn on two-factor authentication for your email, banking and social media accounts
• check your bank accounts regularly for activity you don't recognise
• if you are unhappy with how your bank handled a fraud, you can complain to your bank and then to the Banking Ombudsman.

Fraud takes many forms. Each of the pages below describes a group of scams, the extra steps to take, and what you can realistically expect.

Trust scams

Scams that build a personal relationship — romance or friendship — to gain your trust before asking for money.

Impersonation scams

Scammers pretending to be the police, Inland Revenue, your bank, a tech company or someone you work with.

Money and investment scams

Fake investments, prizes that need a fee, online shopping fraud and jobs that aren't real.

Identity theft

When someone uses your personal information to open accounts or take other actions in your name.

Identity theft

Cybercrime

Phishing messages, hacked accounts and compromised devices.

Cybercrime

Blackmail and extortion

When someone threatens to share something about you, or to harm you or your property, unless you pay or do what they say.

Blackmail and extortion

Recouping lost funds is possible in some situations; partial recoupment is more common.

The outcome is affected by how quickly you acted and how you paid.

Depending on what happened, you may need to contact one or more of the following:

• your bank — call them first if you sent money or shared banking details. They can try to pause or recall payments and may be able to help if you're in financial difficulty
• NZ Police — call 105. Every report contributes to national fraud intelligence, even if individual investigation isn't guaranteed
• Banking Ombudsman — if you have a dispute with your bank about how they handled your case. It's free and you don't need a lawyer
• Financial Markets Authority (FMA) — if the fraud involved investments or financial advice
• Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) — if your passport was shared or you're concerned it may be used in your name.

If you have been scammed, you are likely to feel a range of emotions.

At first you may feel shocked, and it can be hard to believe it happened. You may feel ashamed that you were tricked and blame yourself for not realising it was a scam. You may feel angry once the full impact of the scam is apparent. It's likely you'll feel distrustful and suspicious for a time after the scam.

These are normal reactions — being scammed is a violation.

Being supportive is more important than trying to fix what happened. One of the most helpful things you can do is be there for the person and let them know they are not alone.

It's important to:

• listen without judgement
• believe them
• tell them it’s not their fault
• offer to sit with them while they make calls, help them write things down or look up contact details
• let them decide what support they want and when to take action.

It doesn't help to:

• ask lots of questions
• take over
• minimise what happened by saying 'it's just money'
• maximise what happened by saying 'this is terrible, I can't believe it'
• tell other people without the person's consent
• compare their experience to someone else’s
• suggest they should have been more careful.

You might wonder if you would have spotted the scam. Scammers these days are sophisticated, and they are experts at exploiting people.