Western Bay of Plenty Police are urging members of the local community to be alert to a scam involving the impersonation of local police.
Police say that since 1 April, they have received 12 reports of people receiving a scam phone call from someone claiming to be a police officer.
The ‘officer’ will call from an unknown number, and provide details in order to seemingly prove their identity, Acting Sergeant Gea Grilli explains.
“They claim to be running an undercover operation into fraudulent bank notes coming from large banks in the Tauranga area, and ask people to withdraw money for evidence, with a script provided to answer any questions from the bank,” said A/Sgt Grilli.
“The scammer will then ask for several bank note serial numbers to determine whether the notes are fraudulent, and will provide a fake number for the victim to file an insurance claim.”
Police say the scammer then sends a courier to the victim’s house to collect the money.
“This is a scam. No legitimate police officer will ever ask you to hand over money, for whatever reason,” said A/Sgt Grilli.
“If you want to establish the identity of a Police Officer, ask for their full details and contact Police on 105. Tell Police you think you have been contacted by an officer and ask for their details to be confirmed.”
Police say older members of the community are being targeted. They urge anyone with older or vulnerable family and friends to make them aware of the unlawful activity.
“We ask people to be vigilant, and to educate themselves on how best to protect themselves from these scams.”
“New Zealand Police will also never contact people seeking their banking details, card numbers, PIN, or passwords.
“There are instances where legitimate police officers will contact you as part of their duties, but New Zealand Police will never ask you to withdraw money.”
Remember:
- Police will never ask for details about your bank cards, PIN or passwords over a landline phone call.
- Trust your instincts – if something doesn’t feel right, or is too good to be true, it probably isn’t.
- If you are approached, check in with a trusted friend or relative.
- If you are still uncertain or confused, ask for the officer’s details, hang up, contact 105 and request that officer call you back.
Take the chance to upskill yourself on scam awareness, check for further information on the Netsafe website: https://netsafe.org.nz/.
