News releases
A record of news releases issued by the Department's Digital Messaging & Systems Team.
Media phone: +64 27 535 8639 Email: media@dia.govt.nz
View our news releases by year:
2024
- 
Kaikōura man formally charged for alleged role in NZ SMS scams (4 April 2024)
 - 
Scam reporting down 80% after operation led by DIA busts New Zealand scammers (2 March 2024)
 
2023
2022
- Increase in scam complaints is reminder to stay careful online over the holidays (15/12/2022)
 - New Zealand and Australia collaborate in fight against spam and scam messages (08/06/2022)
 - Memorandum of Understanding between Department of Internal Affairs and Australian Communications and Media Authority (PDF, 3.4MB) 8/06/2022
 
2021
- New versions of Flubot text message scam emerge 1/10/2021
 - SMS scam targets the NZ public in record numbers 29/09/2021
 
2020
- DIA issues $30,000 penalty for unsolicited messages 21/12/2020
 - Hundreds of complaints about new scams 19/11/2020
 - DIA encourages public to be aware of scams 18/03/2020
 
2019
2018
2016
- International Agreement Strengthens the Fight against Spam 15/06/2016
 - Telephone operators targeted by scammers 21/04/2016
 - Trans-Tasman allies extend agreement to fight spam 15/02/2016
 - Internal Affairs warns of inheritance scam 3/02/2016
 
2015
- The Warehouse fined for marketing practice 17/11/2015
 - DIA identifies phoney phishers 18/11/2015
 - Liquor company fined for spamming 11/11/2015
 - DIA warning about targeted email scam 09/09/2015
 - Beware ransomware email campaign 20/03//2015
 - Email spammer fined $12,000 13/1/2015
 
2014
- New weapon for anti-spam investigators 21/02/2014
 - Historic fine for spam company 13/02/2014
 
2013
- Spammer penalty welcomed 15/08/2013
 - Spam warning 02/05/2013
 - Mobile users dob in more text spammers 04/02/2013
 
2012
- Spammers hijack NZ company identities 07/09/2012
 - Minister of Internal Affairs Chris Tremain announced that a new mobi site launched by the Department of Internal Affairs will make it easier to complain about text (TXT) spam 13/06/2012
 - Internal Affairs takes action against spammer 22/05/2012
 - Migrants targeted in phone calling scam 20/04/2012
 - Ignore death-threat email 23/02/2012
 
2011
- Faxes now captured by anti-spam law 19/10/2011
 - More High Court action against alleged spammer 14/09/2011
 - Beware of RWC scams 22/7/2011
 - Impact of anti-spam law surveyed 27/06/2011
 - Anti-Spam team joins Twitter 24/05/2011
 - PlayStation scam warning 29/04/2011
 - High Court action against alleged spammer 17/02/2011
 - Anti-Spam Compliance Unit enforcement action 11/02/2011
 
2010
- Scammers persist: not from Internal Affairs 24/11/2010
 - Drivers' licence scam continues 28/10/2010
 - Scam warning: Callers not from Internal Affairs 21/09/2010
 - Beware-Mystery Shopper scam circulating 13/09/2010
 - Computer scamster active 11/08/2010
 - Don't get sucked in by cold caller 10/08/2010
 - Beware using purchased email addresses 30/06/2010
 - Keeping up with 'real time' scam threats 03/06/2010
 
2009
- Huge US fine for NZ spammer 01/12/2009
 - Spammers penalised 02/11/2009
 
2008
- Spammer to pay $100,000 penalty 22/12/2008
 - Christchurch spam raid has sequel in court 14/10/2008
 - Anti-spam team to address global group 05/09/2008