'Police' email a hoax

Police today warned that a hoax email purporting to be from them, and which contains a virus, is circulating within New Zealand.

The Police Commissioner's office said today the email had caused concern among the public.

The email suggested that recipients were "under suspicion of financial machination" and asked them to complete details and fax or email them.

The email contained a trojan virus which would be filtered out by computers with anti-virus software.

The police commissioner's office said recipients should simply delete the email and did not need to contact the police.

Officers were still investigating the origins of the email.

- NZPA