Alert after police foil money scam

Napier fraudsters claiming they worked in the banking industry almost milked $19,000 out of an elderly Wellington couple's account in a scam uncovered by Napier police.

Detective Sergeant Brian Schaab said the scam being used was not new, but what concerned police was that the fraudsters had honed their "act" to the point where it could sound plausible to people unfamiliar with the way banks worked.

"These people have done their homework and have managed to suck in several people with the scam," he said.

Mr Schaab said although based in Napier, the perpetrators had managed to glean account numbers from the Wellington couple — and a "pick-up" person was only foiled in getting away with the money after a bank employee became suspicious.

He said police had discovered that Napier people, generally the elderly, had also been contacted by the fraudsters and he issued a warning that no details about bank accounts or personal identification numbers (PIN) be given over the phone.

"These people are ringing and saying they are with a certain bank and that there has been a systems failure. They say they need to verify bank accounts held by the customer," Mr Schaab said.

"That is not the way banks work. If anyone has any doubts they should contact their bank." He said investigations into the scam had resulted in one person, a woman, being arrested.

- HAWKE'S BAY TODAY