NZ Police is warning Kiwis to be vigilant for cold callers posing as Police officers, as a new scam rears its head in the community.
In the past year, Police say they have worked quickly to warn the public as these scam calls emerged.
Waitematā CIB’s acting Detective Senior Sergeant Ben Bergin says, “unsuspecting victims are essentially being called out of the blue under a ruse”.
“The story changes slightly, but it will usually involve some sort of investigation and this ‘officer’ will report having located a valuable item of yours, such as a passport.
“He will need your help or ask for your personal information.
“The caller speaks with an English accent and provides a bogus ID number to the victim.”
If you receive a phone call such as this, Police advise the public to be extremely cautious.
A/Det Snr Sgt Bergin says previous iterations of the scam have involved scammers asking people to withdraw cash as part of “an investigation” or to hand over bank details.
Police made several arrests last year over the scam.
“We strongly advise that you hang up,” he says.
“From time-to-time, Police officers may contact you as part of their genuine duties.
“It can be a bit surprising to receive a call unexpectantly, so stop and think if you get a far-fetched story shared down the telephone line.”
In the past week, Police have received reports of the scam calls from members of the public on both islands, including in Warkworth, Riverhead, Royal Oak, Ngaruawahia and in the Clutha and Queenstown-Lakes districts.
“Fortunately, at this stage we are not aware of any victims losing money,” A/Det Snr Sgt Bergin said.
“Those recipients have done the right thing and ended the call and reported it to the real Police.”
If you have received a similar call, please report this to Police online now or call 105.
Important advice from New Zealand Police:
– Police will never ask for your bank details, pin numbers or banking log in.
– Police do not offer prize money
– Police will never ask you to go to a bank and withdraw your own cash
– Stop and think: If the call seems off, hang up and call 105 to verify the officer’s identity, or request a callback.
