“Operation Cargo revealed an approach to scamming not seen before here in Aotearoa, where scammers are using special software and hardware to send SMS scam messages en masse,” said DIA manager of digital messaging and systems Joe Teo.
“Through working together with NZ Police, NZ Customs, and CERT NZ, and closely with New Zealand telecommunications providers and banks, we disrupted numerous scam campaigns throughout the year.”
DIA said the operation uncovered a transnational criminal network of scammers which can be held responsible for most SMS scams in New Zealand in 2023.
The public have been urged to continue to report scam SMS text messages after the DIA saw an 83 per cent decrease in reports to its ‘7726′ public scam reporting service from May through to December last year.
“One reason Operation Cargo has been successful is due to the reports New Zealanders send to us through 7726. Your reporting is used to help us locate scammers. It does make a difference and means we can bring these scams to an end and hold the culprits responsible,” Teo said.
“DIA’s focus in 2024 remains the same as always, to stay ahead of trends in the scam environment by working with our domestic and international partners, and to hold scammers accountable for their actions.”
All Operation Cargo investigations remain open, restricting the information that the DIA can share with New Zealanders until they are closed.
Anyone that receives a scam SMS text message is urged to report it free of charge by forwarding the message to 7726, or head to the DIA website for a step-by-step guide of how to report spam.
The 2023 Digital Messaging Transparency Report can be found on the Department of Internal Affairs website.
