Tech support scam
Cold calling computer technicians have plagued Kiwis with their efforts to gain remote access to computers and steal online banking logins, personal data and more
Scams
Common online scams
Online Scams That You Should Be Aware Of: 1. Cold calling scams While not technically an online scam, cold-calling scams are still one of the most reported scams we receive. Cold calling scams are run by scammers who contact you on your home phone. They may be trying to sell you a fake product or…
Event ticket scams
Event ticket scams happen when tickets to an event are purchased from an individual or through a third party ticket resale website. The buyer later finds out they have been charged hidden fees, the tickets aren’t legitimate or they don’t receive the tickets. Avoiding event ticket scams When buying tickets, check if the official ticketing…
Fake invoice scams
Fake invoice scams happen when a scammer tries to get an individual or business to pay a fake invoice such as a debt collection notice or a general business invoice. This may be for a product or service that has never been requested or received, or it could be for a payment they are expecting…
Unsolicited goods
We often receive reports of people receiving unsolicited goods. These are goods they haven’t ordered, and the company that sent them is demanding payment for the product. How does it work? The company has acquired personal details about a person (e.g. name, email and mailing address) and has sent a product to them they haven’t…
Government grant scams
One of the scams reported often to us is government grant scams. These scammers are pretending to be from a trusted and legitimate organisation to make their scam seem more genuine. If you have been targeted by a grant scam, you can report it by completing an online report form or by emailing [email protected] How…
Employment scams
Netsafe continues to receive reports of employment scams including several where organisations have been impersonated on social media pages. Many scams will include accurate information and appear quite realistic at first glance. The people running these employment scams are pretending to be NZ employers and may be trying to get money or personal information from individuals….
Unwanted subscriptions and trials
We often receive reports of people being signed up to unwanted subscriptions and trials. Find out how it happens, and what you can do about it.
Travel scratch & win cards
Malaysian travel scratch and win cards have been delivered to mailboxes around the country, often from travel companies based in Malaysia. Unfortunately this is a common scam that we explain for you here. If you open up the envelope you’ll find a glossy brochure and two scratch and win cards (see picture). Rub off the…
Email hacking
NetSafe routinely takes reports of email accounts being compromised and used to send spam or scam emails. Learn the simple steps to secure your account from hackers