Being fearful of others can lead people to shut themselves away at home. Fear of being scammed can do the same, or put you off the internet, email and other ways of staying in touch. Yes, scammers are out there, and they're busy. But a healthy dose of scepticism, and one simple rule, will go a long way to keeping you safe from those who want to rip you off.
One rule to remember
If someone contacts you out of the blue and wants you to act quickly, move money, or share a code, password or bank details – stop. Hang up, or don't reply. Then check, using a phone number or website you already know and trust.
This rule matters because most scams these days don't offer you something too good to be true. Instead, scammers pretend to be someone you trust – your bank, the Police, a government department, even a member of your family. They create a sense of panic so you act before you've had time to think. A genuine organisation will never mind you hanging up and calling them back.
If you think you're being scammed
If you think you're talking to a scammer, or you've just realised you've been caught, act quickly. Speed makes a real difference to getting money back.
- Stop. Hang up the phone, close the message, or shut the door.
- Call your bank straight away if you've paid money or shared any banking details, passwords or codes. Use the number on the back of your card or on the bank's official website, not a number the caller gave you. Your bank can try to stop payments and freeze your account.
- If you let someone into your computer or phone, turn the device off and disconnect it from the internet, then get help before you use it again. Change your passwords from a different device.
- Call Police on 105 if you've lost money or are being threatened. If you feel in immediate danger, call 111.
- Tell someone you trust. A friend or family member can help you make the calls and think clearly.
How scams work today
Scammers are organised, persistent and often based overseas. They grow more sophisticated all the time, and their stories are designed to play on your needs, your worries, or your wish to help. These are the scams you're most likely to come across.
Someone pretending to be your bank or an official body
This is now one of the most common scams in New Zealand. In August 2026, around a third of the impersonation scams reported to Netsafe involved someone posing as a bank or financial institution.
The call, text or email usually says something is wrong, like your account has been hacked, there's a suspicious payment, or you owe money. You may be asked to:
- move your money to a "safe account" to protect it
- read out a code that's just been texted to you
- confirm your card details or online banking password
- download an app so they can "help".
Your bank will never ask you to do any of these things. The same goes for Police, Inland Revenue, NZ Post or your power company. Scammers can make a call or text look as if it's coming from a real number, so don't trust what appears on your screen.
"Hi Mum, it's me"
A message arrives from an unknown number. It says it's your son, daughter or grandchild, who has lost or broken their phone. Before long, they need money urgently – a bill to pay, or a problem they're embarrassed about.
Before you do anything, call your family member on the number you already have for them. If you can't reach them, ask another relative.
Someone wanting to access your computer
A caller or pop-up message tells you your computer has a virus, or your internet is about to be cut off. They offer to fix it if you install a program. Once you do, they can see your screen, and sometimes your online banking.
No genuine company will contact you out of the blue to fix your computer. Never let someone you don't know take control of your device.
Romance scams
Romance scams are particularly cruel and insidious. They play on a sense of loneliness and the desire for companionship. The scammer may spend weeks or months building trust online, often claiming to be working overseas. Some pretend to be well-known people.
Once trust is established, the scammer will ask for money under some pretence – a medical emergency, a travel cost, a business problem. Or they may ask you to help with banking transactions.
Being used to move money
That request to "just receive a payment and send it on" can be money laundering. Scammers recruit people – through romance scams, job offers or social media posts promising easy money – to pass stolen money through their bank accounts.
If you agree, you could lose money yourself, have your bank account closed, or find yourself in trouble with Police. Never let anyone else use your bank account, however good their reason sounds.
Investment opportunities
Adverts on social media and websites, sometimes using fake endorsements from well-known New Zealanders, promise high returns with little risk. Some of these scams show you a website where your "investment" appears to grow, to encourage you to put in more. When you try to take money out, there's always another fee to pay. This is where the old saying still holds: if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.
Offers to get your money back
If you've already lost money, be wary of anyone who contacts you offering to recover it for a fee. These "recovery" scams target people who have already been caught, and they can take even more money. Genuine help, such as Police or your bank, won't charge you to get your money back.
Online shopping
Fake websites and social media pages sell goods or tickets that never arrive, often at bargain prices. On marketplaces, a seller may ask you to pay outside the platform. Look the business up independently before you buy, and be wary of anyone who wants payment by bank transfer, gift cards or cryptocurrency.
At your door
Some scammers still knock on doors, offering roofing, driveway or gardening work, or collecting for a charity. Don't feel pressured to agree on the spot. Ask for identification, and check with the company or charity yourself before you pay anything.
Warning signs and good habits
Scams take many forms, but they tend to share the same warning signs. Be suspicious if someone:
- contacts you unexpectedly, especially about money or your accounts
- pushes you to act now, or warns of something bad if you don't
- asks you to keep it secret, even from your bank or family
- wants payment in an unusual way, such as gift cards, cryptocurrency or a transfer overseas
- asks for a code, password or PIN
- offers returns, prizes or bargains that seem too good to be true.
A few everyday habits will help keep you safe:
- Don't click links in unexpected texts or emails. Go to the organisation's website or app yourself. Banks never send you a link in a text message.
- Call back on a number you know. Use the one on your card, a bill or the official website.
- Take your time. Legitimate companies will give you time to do your research. A scammer won't.
- Check before you trust. Look a company up on the Companies Register to see whether it exists and who's behind it. For investments, check the Financial Markets Authority's warnings. Netsafe's free tool at checknetsafe.nz can help you check a website or link.
- Never share your online banking password or one-time codes with anyone, including someone who says they're from your bank.
- Keep your devices up to date, and use strong passwords and two-step verification where you can.
There's no shame in being caught
Scams are run by professionals, and the best of them can take in even the most careful person. If it happens to you, it's not because you were foolish. It's because someone worked hard to deceive you.
The most important thing is to speak up quickly. Telling your bank and reporting the scam gives you the best chance of getting money back. It also helps the authorities warn others and block the people responsible.
Talk about it
Staying connected is one of your best protections. Scammers rely on you acting alone and in a hurry. A quick chat with a friend or family member before you send money or share details can stop a scam in its tracks.
Raising the subject with friends and family is a good place to start. You're far from alone: in Netsafe's 2025 research, 72% of New Zealanders said they'd experienced a scam in the past 12 months. It's highly likely people in your circle have been targeted, even if they weren't taken in. Sharing those stories helps everyone stay alert.
Where to report a scam?
What's happened |
Who to contact |
|
I've lost money or shared my bank details |
Your bank, straight away (the number on your card or the bank's website). Then Police on 105, or online at police.govt.nz. |
|
I'm being threatened |
Police on 105. If you're in immediate danger, call 111. |
|
I let someone into my computer, or my account has been hacked |
National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC): 0800 114 115, or report through ownyouronline.govt.nz |
|
I've had a scam text |
Forward it free to 7726 (Department of Internal Affairs) |
|
I've had a scam phone call |
Your phone provider, then Netsafe |
|
I've had a scam email or seen a fake website |
Netsafe or the NCSC |
|
I'm not sure – I just want advice |
Netsafe: netsafe.org.nz/report, help@netsafe.org.nz, or 0508 638 723 (9am–5pm weekdays) |
Even if you haven't lost anything, reporting a scam helps. It gives the authorities the information they need to warn others and block the people behind it.
Getting your money back
Since 30 November 2025, New Zealand's main banks have made new commitments to protect customers from scams, and to compensate some victims. These are set out in the industry's Code of Banking Practice, which applies to members of the New Zealand Banking Association, including ANZ, ASB, BNZ, Kiwibank and Westpac.
If someone got into your banking without your permission your bank will compensate your loss if you weren't dishonest or negligent, took reasonable steps to protect your banking, and help the bank with its enquiries.
Banks have also promised to warn you about risky payments, check that the name on an account matches the person you're paying, watch for unusual activity, offer a 24/7 way to report scams, and share information about scammers with each other.
If your bank, or the bank that received your money, didn't meet those commitments, you may get some or all of your money back. The total limit is $500,000, across no more than three claims.
You're eligible if:
- you paid money into a New Zealand bank account, from New Zealand
- you were banking as an individual, not a business
- you didn't pay through a third-party payment service
- you weren't buying something on social media or an online marketplace
- you report the scam to your bank and to Police within three months of finding out, and within 12 months of the last payment
- you help the bank with its enquiries.
How much you get back depends on whether you took reasonable care when making the payment, for example, whether you heeded your bank's warnings. Payments overseas are not covered.
Your bank should pay any compensation within 30 business days.
If you're not happy with your bank's decision complain to your bank first. If that doesn't resolve it, contact the Banking Ombudsman, a free and independent service: 0800 805 950, help@bankomb.org.nz or bankomb.org.nz.
For complaints about non-bank lenders, credit unions, insurers, financial advisers, brokers and similar providers, contact Financial Services Complaints Ltd (FSCL), a free, independent ombudsman service: 0800 347 257 or complaints@fscl.org.nz.
More help
There's lots of help available. These are good places to start:
- The Little Black Book of Scams from Sorted (Te Ara Ahunga Ora Retirement Commission) – typical scams, how to spot them, and what to do if you've been caught: sorted
- Netsafe – advice, scam alerts and a website checker: netsafe.org.nz
- Own Your Online – plain-language advice on staying secure online, from the National Cyber Security Centre: ownyouronline.govt.nz
- Consumer Protection – your rights when buying goods and services: consumerprotection.govt.nz
- Age Concern – support for older people: ageconcern.org.nz
Updated: 15 Oct 2026