Guide · 5 min read
Common scams in New Zealand and how to spot them
Fake courier texts, bogus tech support calls, invoice fraud and romance scams. How the common NZ scams work, the warning signs and what to do if targeted.
Scammers do not need to be clever with computers. They need people to be busy, worried or trusting for a moment, and they design their messages to create exactly that feeling. The same handful of tricks turn up again and again across New Zealand, by email, text, phone call and social media, aimed at households and businesses alike.
Knowing how they work is the strongest protection there is. This guide walks through the scams we see most often when people ask us to check their computers, the signs that give them away and the steps to take if you think you have been caught, so you can act quickly.
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Quick checklist
- Never click links in unexpected texts about parcels or fees
- Hang up on unsolicited tech support or bank calls
- Confirm bank account changes by calling a known number
- Never read out one-time codes to anyone
- Do not pay anyone with gift cards or crypto
- Turn on two-step verification for email and banking
- Report scams to CERT NZ and Netsafe
Fake delivery and toll messages
A text or email says a parcel could not be delivered, a customs fee is owing or an unpaid road toll needs settling. There is a link to a page that looks like a courier, NZ Post or a government agency, and it asks for card details or a small payment. The tiny amount stops you thinking twice. The real aim is your card number, which is then used for much larger purchases. Genuine couriers rarely ask for money by text, and you can always check a tracking number by typing the courier's address into your browser yourself.
Tech support and bank impersonation calls
Someone rings claiming to be from Microsoft, your internet provider, your power company or your bank. They say your computer has a virus, your internet has been hacked or there has been suspicious activity on your account. The goal is to get you to install a remote access program so they can take control of your computer, or to read out codes sent to your phone. Microsoft does not cold call people about viruses, and your bank will never ask you to move money to a safe account or share a one-time code.
Invoice and payment redirection fraud
This one targets businesses and anyone paying a builder, lawyer or supplier. A criminal gets into someone's email account, watches the conversation, then sends a convincing message saying the bank details have changed. The invoice looks right, the email comes from the real address or one that differs by a single character, and the money goes to the scammer. Always confirm a change of bank account by phoning the supplier on a number you already have, never one in the email asking for the change.
Romance, investment and marketplace scams
Some scams play a long game. A friendly stranger online builds a relationship before an emergency appears that needs money. Investment scams promise steady returns from crypto or trading platforms, often promoted with fake celebrity endorsements, and show a dashboard of growing profits that cannot be withdrawn. On marketplaces, a buyer offers to pay by a strange method or overpays and asks for a refund. The common thread is pressure, secrecy and a request for money through gift cards, crypto or a bank transfer that cannot be reversed.
Warning signs that apply to all of them
Once you know the pattern, most scams share the same giveaways, whether they arrive by email, text, phone or social media. None of these proves a message is fake on its own, but two or three together should make you stop, put the phone down or close the message, and check with the organisation directly using contact details you already trust.
- Urgency, threats or a deadline to act immediately
- A request to pay by gift card, crypto or a new account
- Links that lead to a slightly misspelled web address
- Requests for passwords, PINs or one-time codes
- Being asked to install software or allow remote access
- Being told to keep it secret from family or your bank
What to do if you have been targeted
If you paid money or gave out card or banking details, call your bank straight away using the number on the back of your card and tell them it is a scam. Change any password you shared and turn on two-step verification for email. If a stranger connected to your computer, disconnect it from the internet and have it checked before you use online banking again. Report scams to CERT NZ and forward scam texts to the Department of Internal Affairs' free scam text service. Netsafe also offers free advice and support.
When to call a technician
Book a technician if someone has had remote access to your computer, if you installed something a caller asked you to, or if your email may have been used to send fake invoices. We will check the computer for remote access tools and malware, remove anything suspicious, secure your email and passwords, turn on two-step verification and talk you or your staff through spotting the next attempt.
From $60 + GST ($69 incl. GST) for remote help, no call-out fee
Related services
Virus & Scam RemovalPop-ups, scam calls and nasty software cleaned up.Seniors' Computer HelpKind, unhurried help at home - with a SuperGold discount.Email Setup & SupportEmail set up, moved and fixed on your computers - Outlook, Apple Mail and webmail.Common questions
Where do I report a scam text?
Forward it to the Department of Internal Affairs' free scam text reporting service, which uses the reports to block scam senders, and report it to CERT NZ. Do not reply to the sender or tap any links in the message first.
Will my bank get my money back?
It depends on how the payment was made and how quickly you report it. Contacting your bank at once gives the strongest chance of stopping or recalling a transfer. Card payments can sometimes be disputed. Do not wait to see whether more money disappears.
How did the scammer know my name and address?
Personal details leak in data breaches, get scraped from social media or are bought in bulk. Knowing your name or address does not make a caller genuine. Treat any unexpected contact as unverified until you have called the organisation yourself.
Can you check whether an email is a scam?
Yes. If you are unsure about an email or invoice, do not click anything in it. We can check where it really came from, look at the links safely and confirm whether your mailbox shows signs of being accessed by someone else.
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