Last year, scams cost New Zealanders $194.3 million. Here’s some tips to stay safe from losing money to scammers:

1: Take a moment to own it

Scams aren’t slowing down and cyber criminals are targeting New Zealanders every day.

Take a moment to visit Own Your Online for helpful tips and guides to understand the most common online risks and threats, how to stay protected against cyber attacks, and to check if something’s a scam.

👉 Visit Own Your Online to:

• See if your personal details have been exposed in a security breach
• Learn how to create strong passwords
• Understand how to use two-factor authentication

2: Don’t fall for imposter investment scams

Scammers have been using social media to publish deepfake video ads impersonating New Zealand financial commentators and business leaders.

These ads are aimed at getting you to join a ‘free investment advice’ WhatsApp group.

Through the WhatsApp group, they’ll encourage you to invest in fake online investment platforms, and once you’ve transferred money over, it’s gone.

▶️ Check out the Financial Markets Authority website to view all current warnings and alerts about investment scams.

They update their website regularly to keep you informed with helpful information, including current lists of known fake platforms, group chats, websites and fictional investment advisers.

3: Be careful shopping online

Close to Christmas is prime time for scammers, especially on Facebook Marketplace.

They’ll pose as sellers, listing items they don’t have, or as buyers, pretending to pay you for an item you’ve sold them.

✅ Avoid shopping scams:

• Be careful when buying from someone with a new or incomplete profile.
• Use a secure payment method where possible.
• If the seller is local, ask to pick up the item so you can inspect it, and only pay once you’ve collected it.
• Don’t rely on a screenshot of a payment from the buyer, check that the money has landed in your bank account before you post or allow pick up of the sold item.
• If you’re buying a car on Marketplace or Trademe, make sure to check Carjam to see if it’s stolen or has money owed on it.