Spot the signs. Stay safe this Fraud Awareness Week 

Scammers often call out of the blue, pretending to be from trusted companies like your bank, energy provider or telecommunications provider. They may claim there’s an error or issue with your account, device or modem and pressure you to act quickly. These calls can sound convincing, but they’re designed to catch you off guard and trick you into sharing personal information or giving remote access to your device. 

Watch out for:

• Unexpected calls from unknown numbers.
• Pressure to urgently share passwords or transfer money to avoid a serious consequence, like your account being closed.
• Requests to download apps or software – these can grant remote access to your devices without your knowledge. 

Stay safe:

If something feels off, stop and hang up. You can always call the company back on their publicly available number. 

These scams often begin with a romantic connection through online dating websites, apps or social media. Scammers may express strong emotions for you in a short period of time. Once they’ve gained your trust, they’ll ask for money, vouchers, gifts or personal details. Sometimes they use photos and identities of real people with believable backstories, which can make the scam harder to spot.  

Be cautious if a romantic partner:  

• Avoids meeting you in person.
• Declares love quickly or asks you to keep the relationship a secret.
• Suddenly has a personal problem or crisis that requires financial help.
• Asks you for money. 

Stay safe: 

Anyone can pretend to be someone else online. Talk to someone you trust if something doesn’t feel right. 

Scammers may contact you by cold calling, texting, messaging on social media or placing ads online when you search for investment or job opportunities. They promise high returns with little risk and often use AI-generated fake endorsements or impersonate real people or companies. You might be pressured to act quickly or be offered “limited time” deals, especially for cryptocurrency, clean energy bonds or term deposits. Some scams even return small initial profits to make the investment seem legitimate and encourage you to send more money.

Look out for:

• Pressure to invest quickly.
• “Limited time” offers.
• Promises of guaranteed returns.
• Offers where minimal information is provided in writing.

Stay safe: If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Always check the Financial Markets Authority (FMA) website to see if the company is licensed and registered, and always do thorough research before investing.