New Zealanders are increasingly becoming a target for scammers who see greener pastures here for their scams.
Detective Sergeant David Kennedy, Police National Headquarters, says Fraud Awareness Week is a timely reminder for New Zealanders to be vigilant about protecting themselves.
"Scammers can be online, on the end of the telephone or even on your doorstep.
"We have seen some well worn overseas scams and their perpetrators arrive on our doorstep over the past year or so.
"Recently, Wellington residents were targeted by a group of men, recent arrivals from England, offering cheap asphalting jobs and demanding cash up front.
"Some customers paid between $5000 and $20,000 for the work, some of which was so substandard they had to pay someone legitimate to redo it."
"In the past few months there has been a group of Irish itinerants selling defective generators out of the back of a van. These people produced fake invoices from a fictional overseas company to make their activities look legitimate.
"These scams are well known overseas and these itinerants come here hoping that New Zealanders are not as wise to them as people in the countries they have come from.
Fraud Awareness Week is an opportunity to remind people to be vigilant against offers that sound to good to be true, - they almost always are," Mr Kennedy said.
By the time people have realised they've been ripped off and alerted Police these con artists are long gone."
"Internet scams originating from overseas also continue to cause financial loss for victims who fall for seductive offers of cash online.
Christchurch Police have warned against a recent scam where the victims were sent fake travellers' cheques by someone they had met on line and were then asked to send some of it back in cash.
"By the time they realised the travellers cheques were fake it was too late."
"People shouldn't become paranoid about scammers, but they do need to realise that they can be vulnerable if they don't take some basic precautions," Mr Kennedy said.
"Don't respond to offers, deals or requests for your personal details that come out of the blue via the phone or internet.
"You wouldn't give your credit card details to a stranger who approached you on the street, so don't give the information to someone who approaches you by phone or email," Mr Kennedy said.
"Legitimate banking organisations will never ask you for your pin numbers or credit card details by email. Contact your bank direct if you are receiving emails that look like they have been sent from banks and are asking you for personal information."
"Don't ever send money to people you don't know on the promise of getting more cash in return. You will not see your money again.
Seek your own sources to verify that offers are genuine and businesses are legitimate before engaging with them.
"The best way to protect yourself against being ripped off is to recognise a scam before getting sucked in." Mr Kennedy said.
ENDS
For more information on how to protect yourself go to www.scamwatch.govt.nz
Jane Archibald
Public Affairs Group
Police National Headquarters
Ph 04 474 9442