The emails include the Waka Kotahi logo, link to an identical NZTA website but do not include any specific vehicle details. Photo / NZTA
The emails include the Waka Kotahi logo, link to an identical NZTA website but do not include any specific vehicle details. Photo / NZTA
A new phishing scam disguised as a Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency vehicle licensing form is circulating inboxes.
The email says "your licence plate number will expire" prompting the recipient to pay around $90 with an expiry date that is the same day the email is received.
Here's what the latest rego scam looks like. We've highlighted parts of it you should keep an eye out for. You should still do all of the same checks regardless of what the email you've received looks like. For more information, visit https://t.co/5WwUBFmib3. pic.twitter.com/NGz4FfSQp8
— Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency news (@WakaKotahi_news) June 17, 2021
The emails include the Waka Kotahi logo and link to an identical NZTA website but do not include any specific vehicle details.
NZTA first reported similar scams in late 2019 and since then there have been multiple versions of vehicle registration scams.
Agency spokesman Andy Knackstedt said that since the registration scams started there have been numerous reattempts.
"These scammers are very persistent, and no sooner do we address and respond to one phishing scam than another one pops up."
An official email sent from Waka Kotahi will include details like your plate number, vehicle make and the licence expiry date on the rego label on your vehicle.
Chief executive of Netsafe Martin Cocker said people are more savvy so scammers are having to increase the quality of their scams.
"One of the ways scammers can do that is to try to replicate what looks close to the activity of a trusted brand.
"This scam very closely replicates an NZTA workflow. The key thing to do is to avoid following links so if you want to go to the NZTA website go directly in your browser."
People are more likely to fall for this kind of scam when there's a time pressure that feels realistic to when they registered their car, Cocker said.
Waka Kotahi advises anyone who has provided driver licence, credit card or banking details to the fraudulent form to put the email in their junk folder and get in contact with Waka Kotahi, their bank, police, and Netsafe.
