A wide variety of scams - and responses to scams - have officials telling the Commerce Minister a more streamlined scambusting approach might be worth pursuing. Photo / 123RF, Mark Mitchell, NZME graphic
A wide variety of scams - and responses to scams - have officials telling the Commerce Minister a more streamlined scambusting approach might be worth pursuing. Photo / 123RF, Mark Mitchell, NZME graphic
Technology and old-fashioned greed have combined to create a dizzying array of new scams. But who’s protecting the public from con artists? Meanwhile, broadcaster Mike Hosking appeared ‘injured’ in a bizarre fake social media ad, and authorities abroad warn of creepy in-person scammers targeting the elderly.
Scambusters divided
A one-stopscam response has been proposed as consumers and officials battle a medley of cons ranging from deepfakes to romance tricksters.
New documents released to incoming Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs Andrew Bayly indicated officials backed a coordinated approach to scams.
“Scams and fraud are an increasingly common issue for consumers,” the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment said in the briefing paper.
Officials have said scam responses are spread among many different agencies - so who's best placed to take the lead? Photo / Mark Mitchell
It said responsibility was spread across several ministerial portfolios including Media and Communications, Police, Justice and Commerce and Consumer Affairs.
“Just under $200 million was lost to scams in the last year [to October 2023] according to 11 of New Zealand’s largest financial institutions.”
MBIE said Bayly’s portfolio played a role working with financial institutions to tackle scams and educating consumers about scams including investment scams, fake services and online shopping rorts.
“The complexity and sophistication of the scams we are seeing today requires a coordinated response, both across government and with industry,” Bayly said today.
“The responsibility for addressing scams therefore sits across several ministerial portfolios.”
He said scams had a detrimental impact on the economy, financial markets, and New Zealand consumers.
“I will therefore be working closely with the banking sector on the initiatives it has announced to tackle scams as well as continuing the work to educate consumers about being vigilant to the latest scams.”
Mike Hosking ‘injured’ in fake ad
Broadcaster Mike Hosking featured in an Instagram ad this week.
An image of him at the ZB studio was juxtaposed with one of Hosking apparently sporting injuries.
The ad, seemingly for a video game called ASTA, claimed “All of New Zealand is in shock.”
Broadcasters sometimes have their images stolen and misused and this misleading ad has been reported to Instagram.
But at one point it directed people to a link ostensibly for rival radio station RNZ.
“We would report any ad that misrepresents our radio hosts or brands in any way,” said Jason Winstanley, NZME chief audio officer.
“We have reported this one to Instagram. We’d encourage anyone who spots a fake ad to report it to the appropriate channel.”
The rise of deepfake and doctored images for nefarious purposes has sparked calls for a law change in the United States.
Senators Dick Durbin, Lindsey Graham and Josh Hawley this week wanted to introduce the Disrupt Explicit Forged Images and Non-Consensual Edits Act.
NBC reported victims would be able to sue people involved in creating and distributing images if the person knew or recklessly disregarded that the victim did not consent to the material.
The bill would classify such material as a digital forgery.
This week, X (formerly Twitter) was forced to ban searches on Taylor Swift after deepfake explicit images of the pop star emerged.
Brazen courier scams targeting elderly
Brazen in-person scams using mules have been reported overseas.
The FBI is warning people about scammers instructing victims, including many senior citizens, to liquidate assets into cash or buy gold, silver, or other precious metals to protect their funds.
“Criminals then arrange for couriers to meet the victims in person to pick up the cash or precious metals,” the FBI said this week.
The FBI said it recorded a major increase in these scams from May to December 2023.
Police and romance scammers
A former NZ Police fraud specialist told the Herald often not much action could be taken against love scammers based offshore.
And victims often believed they were in love with con artists, or felt stupid when they learned of the con.
“A friend I know found ‘love’. And he was coming over on a flight. Then she gets a phone call saying: Sorry he’s been in a motorbike accident, can you send money?
Westpac said sob stories and requests for money often accompanied the romance scams.
“Scammers always have good reasons for these financial requests, such as sick family members, debts or visa issues. They’re often extremely convincing and the person they’re targeting may feel a very strong emotional connection to them,” Westpac told its app users today.
The bank said customers should never hand over bank details or personal information, or transfer money or goods on behalf of someone else.
“Search for the person online to see if any details don’t match up,” Westpac added.
Meanwhile, ANZ said it had recorded a surge in customers receiving calls from scammers pretending to be from ANZ.
And in some cases the calls appeared to be from ANZ phone numbers.
Scammers were even impersonating the ANZ fraud team.
“Do not share your personal or banking information, follow any instructions or transfer money,” the bank told its customers.
“Hang up immediately and talk to someone at ANZ via a phone number or other contact method listed on our website.”
John Weekes is an online business editor and a reporter. He has covered some of New Zealand and Queensland’s most high-profile court cases and trials, as well as politics, breaking news and consumer affairs.
