Scammers pretending to be New Zealand Police officers are once again targeting residents across the country, prompting an official warning from Police.
The alert, shared on the Police’s Facebook page, describes a recurring phone scam where individuals pose as police officers and claim to be involved in a supposed investigation.
The callers often allege they have recovered a lost or stolen item belonging to the victim, for example a passport, and then ask for personal or banking information to verify the person’s identity or help with the investigation.
“These scammers are cold-calling people out of the blue,” said acting Detective Senior Sergeant Ben Bergin of Waitematā CIB. “The story changes slightly each time, but there’s always a far-fetched reason why they need your help.”
In some cases, victims are asked to withdraw cash or provide banking credentials. The scammers often speak with an English accent and offer a fake badge or ID number to sound legitimate.
While Police say no one has reported losing money in the latest wave, recent incidents have been reported from Warkworth, Riverhead, Royal Oak, Ngaruawahia, and Queenstown-Lakes.
“Those recipients have done the right thing and ended the call and reported it to the real Police,” said Bergin.
Police reiterated that:-
- Officers will never ask for your bank details, PIN numbers, or online banking login.
- Police do not ask the public to withdraw their own money or offer prize money.
- If the call feels suspicious, hang up and call 105 to verify the officer’s identity.
In the comment section of the Facebook post, members of the public also pointed out suspicious replies from people pretending to be victims offering help. These are believed to be “recovery scams,” where scammers try to exploit those who have already been targeted.
One commenter responded, “Literally, this is what is known as a recovery scam. The most despicable of cowardly vermin here, trying to scam victims AGAIN.”
New Zealand Police urge anyone who receives such a call to report it immediately via police.govt.nz or by calling 105.
