Scams in New Zealand: common tricks and how to report them
Scammers often pretend to be your bank, Inland Revenue (IRD), a government official, or a family member or friend. They may also use fake investments or online relationships to take your money. If you think you have been scammed, stop all contact, do not pay any more money, and contact your bank straight away. Then report the scam to the NCSC. If you lost money, report it to the Police: call 105 or report online.
Key facts
- First thing to do after a scam
- Contact your bank (or the service you used to send the money) straight away. The sooner your bank knows, the better the chance of getting your money back.1
- Report a scam
- Report it online to the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC).1
- Lost money: report to Police
- Call the Police non-emergency number 105, or report online on the Police website. In an emergency, call 111.3
- Investment scams
- Report to the Financial Markets Authority (FMA).1
- Scam text messages
- Forward them free to 7726 (the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) reporting number).5
- Real Inland Revenue text numbers
- Inland Revenue only sends texts from 5678 or 4478. An 'IRD text' from any other number is very likely a scam.4
- What Inland Revenue will not do
- It will not ask for your password. It will not put links or refund amounts in emails or texts. It will only ask you to log in to myIR yourself.4
- Phone calls selling financial products
- In New Zealand, it is illegal to sell financial products through cold calls (unexpected calls). If you get one, it is very likely a scam.2
- Payment by gift cards or crypto
- Real organisations will never ask you to pay with gift cards, top-up card codes or cryptocurrency.2
Who is this for, and what are the requirements?
- Anyone in New Zealand who gets a suspicious phone call, text, email, social media message or chat app message
- Anyone who has already sent money, or shared their bank card details, passwords or ID documents
- Anyone who wants to help family or friends (especially older people and international students) spot scams
How do I do it? Steps and process
- 1. Stop contact immediately
As soon as you think it might be a scam, stop talking. Hang up the phone, do not reply to emails or texts, and block the person online.
- 2. Do not pay any more money
Some scammers target people who have just been scammed. They pretend to be law enforcement and say they can get all your money back if you pay a fee. Do not trust anyone who promises to recover your money but asks you to pay first.
- 3. Contact your bank straight away
If you sent money, your credit card details were stolen, or your identity was stolen, contact your bank or the service you used to send the money. Do it as soon as possible. If someone calls saying they are from your bank, check first through the bank's official contact details before you give any information.
- 4. Report it
Report online to the NCSC. If you lost money, call 105 or report online to the Police. Report investment scams to the FMA. Forward scam texts free to 7726. If the scam happened on social media or an online marketplace, report the account or ad directly to the platform.
- 5. Protect your accounts
Change the password right away on any account linked to the scam, and on any other account that uses the same password. If you think your computer or phone has malware, get a professional technician to clean it.
- 6. Tell your family and friends
Scammers rely on victims staying quiet. Sharing what happened helps your family and friends recognise similar scams in the future.
What documents do I need?
- Bank statements and transfer records
- Related emails and text messages
- Screenshots of the scammer's social media account and your chat history
- The scammer's phone number, the bank account you paid into, website addresses and similar details
What should I watch out for?
- Family impersonation ('Hi Mum' scam): Scammers, often on WhatsApp, pretend to be a family member. They say their phone was lost or broken and this is their new number, then urgently ask for money. Always call the old number saved in your phone to check first.
- Pretending to be a government agency, law firm or phone company: Scammers often frighten you by saying you or your family will face criminal charges, lose a visa or lose a job. They demand immediate payment with gift cards such as iTunes cards. Hang up. Find the organisation's official customer service number yourself and check.
- Pretending to be 'overseas government officials': Police have issued a specific warning about this scam, which has mainly targeted Chinese international students in New Zealand. Scammers usually contact people through messaging apps such as WeChat and WhatsApp. They claim you or your family are involved in a serious crime overseas and demand that you send large amounts of money to an overseas account. If this happens, stop contact immediately and contact the Police.
- Investment scams: Warning signs include someone contacting you first, promises of high returns with low risk, very little written information, being told you 'have already made money', repeated requests to add more money, and not being able to withdraw your money. Check the FMA Warning List before you invest. But if a company is not on the list, that does not mean it is safe.
- Romance and friendship scams: Scammers may spend weeks or even months building a relationship before asking for money or asking you to move money for them. Photos are not enough, because photos can be faked. Never send money or cryptocurrency to someone whose identity you have not checked.
- Money mules: If someone you met online asks you to open a bank account for them, or offers an 'easy work-from-home job' receiving money, sending it on and keeping a share, this is very likely money laundering. Do not accept this kind of 'job'. If you are already involved, contact the Police.
- Remote access scams: Real organisations will not suddenly contact you and ask you to install software that lets them control your computer. If you have already let someone connect, turn off the computer, call your bank, and do not use the computer until it has been cleaned.
- Phishing texts and emails: Do not click links in messages you were not expecting. When you need to contact your bank or a government agency, use their official phone number or website.
- You can also report phishing emails and online trading disputes to Netsafe.
- This page only summarises public information. If you are in immediate danger, call 111.
Common questions
I got a call from 'Inland Revenue' saying I owe tax and must pay now. Is it real?
It may be a scam, so do not pay during the call. Hang up and find Inland Revenue's official phone number yourself to check. Inland Revenue will not ask for your password. Real organisations will never ask you to pay with gift cards, top-up card codes or cryptocurrency.
Someone says they are police or embassy officials from my home country and I am involved in a crime. They want me to transfer money. What should I do?
Do not send any money. Stop contact immediately and contact the New Zealand Police. Police have warned about this scam. Scammers often use apps like WeChat and WhatsApp. They claim you or your family are involved in a serious crime overseas and ask for large amounts of money sent to an overseas account.
I got a text saying my parcel could not be delivered and I need to click a link and pay a fee. What should I do?
Do not click the link or pay anything. Do not click links in messages you were not expecting. You can forward the scam text free to 7726, the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) reporting number. If you need to contact a company, use its official phone number or website.
I transferred money to a scammer. What is the first thing I should do? Can I get my money back?
Contact your bank, or the service you used to send the money, straight away. The sooner your bank knows, the better the chance of getting your money back. Then report it to the Police by calling 105 or online, and report it to the NCSC. Do not pay anyone who promises to recover your money for a fee.
Someone I met online says crypto investment is guaranteed profit. Can I trust them?
No. Promises of high returns with low risk are a warning sign of an investment scam. Never send money or cryptocurrency to someone whose identity you have not checked. Check the Financial Markets Authority (FMA) Warning List before you invest, but a company not on the list is not automatically safe. Report investment scams to the FMA.
A family member messaged me on WhatsApp from a new number saying their phone broke and they urgently need money. How do I know if it is real?
Call the old number saved in your phone to check first. This is a common scam, often called the 'Hi Mum' scam. Scammers pretend to be a family member, say their phone was lost or broken, and urgently ask for money. Do not send money until you have checked.
Where do I report scam texts and scam calls in New Zealand?
Forward scam texts free to 7726, the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) reporting number. Report scams online to the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC). If you lost money, also report it to the Police by calling 105 or online. Cold calls selling financial products are illegal in New Zealand, so they are very likely a scam.
Where do I report a scam to the police, and what evidence do I need?
If you lost money, call the Police non-emergency number 105 or report online on the Police website. In an emergency, call 111. Useful evidence includes bank statements and transfer records, related emails and texts, and screenshots of the scammer's account and your chats. Also include the scammer's phone number, the bank account you paid into and any website addresses.
Answers are based on the verified content of this page — the official source always prevails.
Where can I check the official information?
- Scammed? Take actionConsumer Protection (MBIE) · consumerprotection.govt.nz
- Types of scamsConsumer Protection (MBIE) · consumerprotection.govt.nz
- Fraud/Scam/CyberNew Zealand Police · police.govt.nz
- Signs of a scamInland Revenue · ird.govt.nz
- Report TXT spamDepartment of Internal Affairs · dia.govt.nz
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