2009
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The Scam Alerts section contains information about scams that have been notified to the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, or have been publicised in the media.
Please note that this list does not cover all scams which are currently circulating.
Remember - scams target you, and you can both recognise a scam, and protect yourself and others from being scammed! If it’s too good to be true, it probably is!
16 December 2009
UK Tax Refund? Perhaps not…
Many Kiwis will have worked in the UK at some point, so an email from the UK tax office might have a ring of plausibility about it. Think again. HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) advises: “HMRC would not inform customers of a tax rebate via email, or invite them to complete an online form to receive a rebate of tax. Do not visit the website contained within the email or disclose any personal or payment information.”
More information on the HMRC website
14 December 2009
Holiday voucher company pleads guilty to Fair Trading Act breaches
10 December 2009
TradeMe warns of Christmas scams
McAfees's Twelve Scams of Christmas
8 December 2009
Google sues work-from-home scammers
23 November 2009
Medsafe warns of 65 overseas websites offering unapproved herbal products
15 October 2009
Scammers target social networkers
Many of us are used to receiving - then deleting from our in-boxes - those annoying Nigerian-scam style emails. Now, we’ve had reports here at Consumer Affairs that emails are coming through via social networking user’s personal messaging service on these sites.
Treat these personal messages like you would a traditional scam email – delete and don’t respond.
7 October 2009
Phishing scheme targets email users
Microsoft, who run Hotmail, have said in their blog: “Over the weekend Microsoft learned that several thousand Windows Live Hotmail customers’ credentials were exposed on a third-party site due to a likely phishing scheme”. Microsoft also recommends that people: renew their passwords every 90 days and install and keep anti-virus software up to date.
Reports also now suggest that other email providers may also have been compromised. The Guardian newspaper in the UK said: “It emerged today that Yahoo…Gmail…and AOL have also been targeted”. If you are concerned you should change the password to your email account.
7 October 2009
Natural disaster scams
Sadly, natural disasters are often the trigger for fake charity scams. Scammers were asking for money immediately after the 2004 tsunami and the same is likely to occur with the recent natural disaster in the South Pacific. Only give money to charities you know and trust.
- Visit the NZ Aid website which has a page of charity contacts you can donate to.
- More information on Charity Scams
16 September 2009
Holiday ‘scratch-and-win’ scam
Beware of receiving flash holiday brochures through the mail containing a couple of scratch-cards. One of the scratch-cards will say you’ve won a heap of money in the US lottery. If you call the number on the brochure (in Hong Kong) to claim your ‘winnings’ they’ll ask you to fax personal details such as your passport and bank information. Then the scammers will say that in order to ‘unlock’ your winnings you’ll need to transfer some money to them to cover taxes and fees. Don’t do it, there are no winnings and you’ll lose your money and personal information if you respond.
This type of scam carries the hallmarks of a number of other scams, mainly
Don’t respond - chuck the brochure and these scratchies in the bin!
Check out our advice if you’re concerned about protecting your personal information.
TVNZ’s Fair Go reported on this scam recently
20 August 2009
Beware: its a scam
The Northern Advocate reports that scammers pretending to be from the New Zealand Fire Service are ripping off shopkeepers by selling fire extinguishers at hugely inflated prices.
Northland Fire Region staff learned from police that Northland, Auckland and Waikato businesses have been targeted.
More information on The Northern Advocate website
17 August 2009
Fieldays warns exhibitors to read small print of offers
Fieldays organisers have warned exhibitors to read the fine print and be wary of companies asking them to update their details in international exhibitor guides. Fieldays does not endorse and is not affiliated with these companies.
More information is on the Fieldays website.
31 July 2009
Stay safe on Social Networking sites
The Sydney Morning Herald has a story on how scammers are targeting people through social networking sites such as Facebook and Bebo. The story warns people to steer clear of friend requests from people you don’t know and how a computer virus hijacks the accounts of social networking site users, sending messages to friends directing them to dodgy websites which have a malicious software.
2 July 2009
Online virus targets Michael Jackson fans
30 June 2009
Michael Jackson has “Gone Too Soon.” Spammers Never Let Go
29 June 2009
McDonalds NZ customer satisfaction survey scam update
McDonalds NZ has brought to our attention that a fraudulent customer satisfaction survey is in circulation again by email. The email is not from McDonald's New Zealand.
In the survey customers are asked to enter their credit card and contact details to receive a $50 McDonald's voucher.
25 June 2009
Social networking sites
Someone phishes your log-in details and hacks into your social networking site - assuming your online identity. Suddenly, your social networking friends are deluged with spam, links to dodgy websites or requests for you to wire money to them.
One report to Scamwatch said: "I received calls from two friends in Australia saying that they had been 'chatting' to me on Facebook. Apparently I was in London, had been robbed and had lost everything. I then asked these friends to "loan" me $700 to be sent immediately via money transfer. My friends had the sense to ring me in NZ to check to see if the story was correct. Obviously it wasn't..."
18 June 2009
South Auckland Passport Scam
It has been reported there is a scam in circulation offering false passports or visas for $500 around south Auckland.
The bogus documents - believed to be in the name of a political party - were offered at a meeting last night in Manurewa which attracted up to 4000 people.
Mangere MP Su'a William Sio warned people to beware of the passport scammers. "If anyone has paid money over to this rogue group, you have been fooled. It's a complete and utter sham," he said today.
"Any visa or residency stamps in your passport from this group are worthless and have no legal status whatsoever."
New Zealand Immigration Service is the only legitimate body in this country which could issue visas and permanent residency.
9 June 2009
Travelling to the USA?
If you’re planning a trip to the United States, you probably know that you now need to apply for a travel authorisation before you leave, known as an ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorisation). Don’t get stung by paying for this ESTA – we’ve heard reports of consumers paying for these travel authorisations through intermediate companies.
We’ve also received similar reports about people paying for British passport application forms.
These too are available for free, on the British High Commission’s website.
St George Bank / Commonwealth Bank phishing scam
There are currently two phishing type emails in circulation. One claims to be from the St George bank and the other from the Commonwealth Bank (Australia). We suggest you delete them.
8 June 2009
It was reported in the Herald that a widow became the victim of what's thought to be New Zealand's biggest internet dating scam after losing $680,000 in a little over 10 weeks.
The North Island businesswoman said she felt destroyed and violated by the experience and wants to remain anonymous for fear of public humiliation.
She agreed to tell her story to stop other lonely Kiwis falling victim and said her nightmare began when she created a profile on match.com on March 12.
29 May 2009
Job advert scams
We have seen an increased number of reports of scam job adverts appearing in local newspapers around New Zealand.
The adverts promise easy money for little work. Scammers ask you to ‘look after some accounts’, and then ask you to bank money for them. You’re then asked to send most of it elsewhere while you take a cut for yourself. It’s a front for money laundering.
22 May 2009
Kevin Day aka David Rhodes scam in circulation again
Kevin Day isn’t very original it seems.
The scheme he tries to peddle to New Zealanders is nearly identical to another by David Rhodes.
He has a rags to riches story.
He offers the opportunity to make as much as $70,000.00 in 60 days.
He says all you have to do is send 200 letters and they have even worked out a cost budget for you breaking down the cost of the $10 you send to the first person on the list you receive, photocopying costs of $80, the cost of 200 business envelopes at $14.00, stamps at $100.
This will take you five hours they tell you and your profit could be as high as $77, 566 or $15,513.20 per hour of your time if just 3 per cent of people send $10 in cash to you.
Complete our quiz for a chance at 500$ - Commonwealth Bank (Australia) scam
It is has been brought to our notice that a phishing email is in circulation. The difference is that instead of asking for your security information, the scammers ask you to take a quiz instead.
Notice that the domain of the email quiz@commbank.com.au, and the domain name of the link www.commbank.commbankcau.com are different.
21 May 2009
McDonalds NZ customer satisfaction survey scam update
McDonalds NZ has brought to our attention that a fraudulent customer satisfaction survey is in circulation again by email. The email is not from McDonald's New Zealand.
In the survey customers are asked to enter their credit card and contact details to receive a $50 McDonald's voucher. McDonald's would never request bank or credit card details.
19 May 2009
16 May 2009
Email Chain letter Scam : Free Laptop from Sony Ericsson
A chain letter is currently in circulation via e-mail, claiming that Ericsson is giving away lap tops. The e-mail is a scam and Ericsson is not giving away lap tops for free.
Please do not reply to or forward the email if you receive it.
14 May 2009
Millions may have been lost through fake advertising scam
It has been reported that thousands of New Zealanders may have been scammed by groups, operating throughout New Zealand, posing as advertisement space sellers in non-existent magazines.
The groups sell advertising for publications that do not exist, sending invoices for advertising that their targets have not ordered.
With a valid publication sometimes the invoice is not sent until the publication is out. However, the scammers were sending the invoice immediately after selling the advertising.
They work on the basis that people won't actually look at the publication.
Similar scams have run in the past and are usually investigated by the Commerce Commission under the Fair Trading Act.
However, police have become involved in the latest scams, investigating several groups under the Crimes Act.
25 April 2009
Online rental scam update
We have recently received reports regarding a variety of online rental scams.
Scammers are advertising flats to rent that they don’t own. They tell you that they are out of the country at the moment and can’t show you the flat. But they ask you to send a deposit anyway. If you want to rent, then make sure you see the house and meet the landlord before you send a deposit, bond or rent money. Or you could be left out-of-pocket and without a new home.
Scammers are also putting deposits on flats they don’t want to see. Why? They send you the money in a cheque, or traveller’s cheque, but they send you way too much. They tell you it was a mistake and ask that you bank the cheque and return the extra money by money transfer. But the cheque is fake. You lose the money and might get stung by the bank for depositing a fake cheque. Get suspicious if someone doesn’t want to see the flat, no matter their reason.
More information
17 April 2009
E-mail scam claiming to be United States of Amercia IRS
It has been reported that an email is in circulation claiming to be IRS (Internal Revenue Service USA) . They include an attachment which they want to be filled in and faxed back.
15 April 2009
McDonalds NZ customer satisfaction survey scam update
McDonalds NZ has brought to our attention that a fraudulent customer satisfaction survey is in circulation again by email. The email is not from McDonald's New Zealand.
In the survey customers are asked to enter their credit card and contact details to receive a $50 McDonald's voucher.
McDonald's have placed the a warning on their website.
6 April 2009
Palmerston North targeted by phone scammers
Police have had a number of reports from residents, eg in one case a woman was told she could be in a draw to win $270,000 if she supplied her bank account, passport and driver licence details.
The caller, claiming to be from a research agency said by answering the questions she would go into a draw.
If you receive a call asking for this type of information, hang up.
Never disclose banking or personal information over the phone or internet.
Free listings in exhibition guides could prove expensive
Be wary of companies asking for you to update your company details on their website and/or offering their services in international exhibitor guides. If you choose to participate you must read all small print carefully - there are often costs involved which might not appear obvious on first glance.
Media report on Expo Guide scam
25 March 2009
Bogus email appeals for cash using Hotmail accounts
Two Greymouth businessmen were stunned by an email scam that sent a pleading message from the personal email account of one to the other.
17 March 2009
Customer satisfaction survey scam
It has been brought to our attention that a fraudulent customer satisfaction survey has been circulated by email, which claims to be from McDonald's New Zealand. The email is not from McDonald's New Zealand.
In the survey customers are asked to enter their credit card and contact details to receive a $50 McDonald's voucher.
McDonald's have placed the a warning on their website.
A Nigerian scammer is caught and jailed.
A Nigerian scammer that tricked a 56-year-old Austrian woman out of US$47,000 (NZ$91,000) has been sentenced to 19 years in prison.
He meet the woman over the internet and claimed to be in love with her. He sent her a photo of a white man and said he was a 57-year old British widower working as an engineer in Lagos.
The woman sent him money for his medical expenses and travel costs to visit her in Australia. But he instead he used the money to buy land and a car.
Nigeria is a common source of confidence scams including romance scams and upfront money transfer scams. Unfortunately few scammers are caught.
13 March 2009
Take care when looking for a rental property or room to rent
We have become aware that scammers are targeting flat-hunters. In a variation on the traditional scam where the scammers make up a fictitious property for rent or target those listing a property - the scammers are copying and pasting genuine "to rent" or "to let" adverts and are purporting to be property owner and duping people into sending money to them.
Take extra care when looking for a room or rental property and never send money overseas unless you know and completely trust the person.
6 March 2009
Watch out for websites selling super cheap flights
These scammers even let you check the flight booking with the airline before you pay them by 'money transfer to South Africa'.
The scammers purchase the flights for you with a stolen credit card. When the airline finds that the flights have been bought using a stolen credit card the tickets are cancelled.
Websites peddling this scam are tickets2cheap.com, Flyaffordable.com, NTTAirfares.com and Travellow.net, but there may be others.
5 March 2009
Cellphone users are now being targeted by scammers
A Wanaka man was recently surprised by a text informing him he had won $US650,000.
The text message told him that his mobile's GSM serial number was a winner and to contact an overseas number. He phoned the Spanish number and was then advised he needed to wire +euro+550 to a bank account number as a "release fee" for his prize money.
He realised then it was a scam.
3 March 2009
Mobile phone scam email a timely reminder during Fraud Awareness Week
An email warning people about a phone scam is just a hoax.
The email states that a scammer may call you an pretend to be an engineer and ask you to press #09 or #90.
The email then claims that this will result in the scammer having access to your SIM card and can make calls at your expense. This isn't true. Pressing #09 or #90 will not give the caller access to your SIM card or let them use your money.
24 February 2009
Costly losses could result from scam
Christchurch police are warning to beware of a new Africa-based email scam of which they have received a number of complaints about.
The scams begins when the New Zealander advertises online, eg property for rent.
New Zealanders selling things on-line should watch out for people sending too much money by cheque or travellers cheque then asking for the extra money to be sent back by money transfer. The seller usually finds later that the cheque is fake.
23 February 2009
Facebook removes scam adverts
A report in the Melbourne Age says that "Facebook has removed adverts for a get rich quick scam that appeared for weeks on the social networking site before it discovered the ruse." The report says: "The ads - complete with bogus testimonials - purported to make Facebook users rich if they simply signed up to post links under a "Google advertising" programme. Clicking on the link in the ads took people to another page, run by a company dubbed "EMillionaire", which invites users to submit their details to see if they are eligible to take part in the programme."
"But the entire venture is a scam with no ties to Google, designed to trick people into handing over their banking details."
21 February 2009
Conmen touring NZ in a Paving Scam
Householders are getting ripped off by a group of Englishmen offering to concrete driveways fast and cheap. The group arrive at people's houses spinning a story about having left-over concrete that they need to get rid of. But the work done is very poor. Customers are paying between $5000 and $20,000 for the work, but they may have to pay even more to get the driveway repaired afterwards.
19 February 2009
Pyramid letter scam in Waimauku
It is been reported that the pyramid letters are out in circulation again. Don't respond to the letter. Just ignore it. Only the original scammers make the money.
13 February 2009
5 February 2009
Australian ANZ customers hit by Phishing Scam
ANZ Bank has put out a warning to its Australian internet customers not to respond to a fake form that asks for personal details when they log onto the bank's website.
The issue has been contained to Australian bank customers and the bank was not aware of any of New Zealand customers being affected.
If New Zealand ANZ customers have any concerns they can call the internet banking helpdesk on 0800 368 524.
31 January 2009
Holiday scams update
It has been reported that telemarketers are cold calling consumers in the Bay of Plenty with offers of cheap holidays. Consumers need to be wary.
10 January 2009
Puppy scam costs Hastings couple
A Hastings couple replied to an ad for an English bulldog on a website and eagerly awaited its arrival. They paid $1500 to an African bank account through a money wiring service and spent $150 on food, toys and a bed.
Through emails the seller told then that she was a dog breeder from Christchurch but that her family was in Africa for her daughter's birthday.
"She had sounded so caring and loving towards her puppies," the buyers said.
But their new pet didn't even exist. The advertisement was listed on classifieds.co.nz, though similar scams appearing on auction websites and pet sale websites, and in newspaper classified advertisements.
NZ Police have warned consumers to ensure they see pets before they pay for them and not to send money overseas or give out credit card details.
8 January 2009
British government warns of scam tax emails
The scams tell the recipient they are due a tax refund and ask for bank or credit card details so that the fictitious tax refund can be paid out. There's also a growing number of telephone scams with fraudsters posing as tax officials arranging rebate payments.
All customers who provide their details to the fraudsters risk their accounts being emptied and credit cards used to their limit. The victim also risks having their personal details stolen.
7 January 2009
Australian Tax Office warns of scam tax refund email
Australians are being warned to ignore a scam email claiming to be from the tax office and offering refunds.
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