About scams and phishing

• How to identify a scam
• Common scams
  • Phishing or banking scams
  • Job offer scams
  • Death threat scams
  • Inheritance scams
  • Lottery scams
  • Online scams

How to identify a scam

Many scams look genuine and sometimes it’s hard to tell that they’re not real. Learn how to identify scams so you can protect yourself and others from harm.

If the above criteria fits your message then report, delete or mark as spam. Any offer that sounds too good to be true is!

If you are unsure, verify the message by independent means such as using known contact information. You can also try typing the name of the individual or business into your internet search engine and review the information available. 

If you have been a victim of a scam report the matter to the Police in the first instance and for support, please contact ID Care on 0800 201 415.

Common scams

Scammers will do anything to rip you off, so it’s important to be aware of the different kinds of scams circulating.

Phishing or banking scams

These scams attempt to look like a well-known bank or financial institution in their message and urge you to click on links and enter your bank account details, credit card information, password, passport information, home address, or even your IRD number.

Don’t click on links in phishing emails or TXT messages. Many of these links take you to fake websites. Typing in your details could result in your bank account being emptied by fraudsters. And your computer could become infected with a virus.

Banks tend not to contact customers by email or TXT asking them to confirm personal financial information. Call your bank and verify the authenticity of the message if you have doubts. Most banks have information on their websites about reporting phishing or banking scams.

Hints it's a scam

• Email address is wrong - it should end ‘@banka.co.nz’
• Website link is wrong - it should link to ‘www.banka.co.nz’
• It’s not addressed to an individual (“Bank Customer”)
• It has spelling mistakes (“automaticlly”)
• If the bank needs to contact you they will call or post a letter to you.

Job offer scams

If you receive an offer for a job you didn’t apply for - don’t believe a word of it. Scammers will do anything to get you to respond with your personal details. They tempt you with easy work for great pay and flexible hours.

If you are asked to deposit a cheque into your bank account and wire the money back to the sender or an alternative contact via a money transfer service* – don’t do it. You will be helping the scammer to launder money or you risk losing your own!

Genuine mystery shopper companies do not recruit by sending unsolicited emails or letters. They ask you to register with the store of interest, provide a profile and you will be contacted when work is available.

A genuine job offer will not require you to pay a fee to accept the offer.

*Many money transfer services are legitimate businesses but they are often used by scammers to make illegal transactions around the world.

Hints that it’s a scam

• The recipient didn’t sign up as a mystery shopper.
• The email requests the recipient’s personal information.
• It contains spelling mistakes and grammatical errors.

Death threat scams

Death-threat scams, most commonly sent by email, are hoaxes designed to play on people’s fears and extract money from them.

We regularly receive complaints about threatening emails that people have received from ‘contract killers’.

Do not be alarmed by such messages as they cannot harm you and their intention is simply to take money from you.

Hints that it’s a scam

• The email is written in an extremely threatening tone and requests money.
• It contains spelling mistakes and grammatical errors.
• The detail is vague and often makes little sense.

Inheritance scams

You’re contacted by a stranger and told to act fast to claim a large sum of money from an unknown, distant relative who has died and left you a fortune.

The scammer usually pretends to be the deceased person’s lawyer or a representative from a bank, and the figure quoted is often listed in foreign currency.

The scammer says he or she needs your personal details, or that you need to pay a fee (for taxes or other administrative costs) before you can claim your inheritance.

These scams can be very elaborate. Often the scammer will send you fake legal documents in an attempt to convince you that it is real.

Hints that it’s a scam

• The sender is unknown to the recipient.
• The email requests the recipient’s personal information.
• It contains spelling mistakes and grammatical errors.

Lottery scams

Much like inheritance scams, you’re contacted by a stranger and told that you have won a large sum of money in a lottery, and you have to act fast to claim it!

Hints that they are scams

• The recipient didn’t enter the competition.
• The messages both request the recipient’s personal information.
• The winnings are in Pounds not New Zealand dollars.

More information:

• Frequently asked questions for consumers and businesses
• About nuisance spam
• About malware
• Complain about spam

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