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.
Official figures
- 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
Official sources
- 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
Read the full guide: Scams in New Zealand: common tricks and how to report them →
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Answers are based on official New Zealand government pages. Check the official source before you act. This is not immigration, legal or tax advice.
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