Police are urging internet users to be cautious after a Wairarapa man lost tens of thousands of dollars in a Spark scam.
Senior Sergeant Jymahl Glassey said the man received a phone call from someone claiming to be from Spark who asked him to turn on his computer and leave his phone off the hook. The scammer then remotely accessed the man's computer, withdrawing "tens of thousands of dollars" from his bank account.
The scammer did not ask for any passwords or personal information.
With the phone off the hook, the bank would not have been able to contact the man regarding the withdrawal.
The middle-aged man had recently made changes to his internet connection so it seemed plausible to receive a call from Spark, Mr Glassey said.
