Scammer claims to sell 'emergency torches' on behalf of Wellington City Council

Police say the man was wearing a hi-vis jacket and a lanyard with some form of ID tags. Photo / File

A scammer is targeting Wellington businesses with promises of non-existent "emergency torches".

Wellington police say a man has gone into a number of office buildings in the Wellington area claiming to be contracted by the Wellington City Councils to sell emergency torches.

The man tells businesses to pay him the money, and that the torches can then be picked up from the Wellington Central Police Station.

There is no such contract, and no such stock of torches at the police station.

Constable Matt Barraclough said the man was wearing a hi-vis jacket and had a lanyard around his neck with some form of ID cards, believed to be fraudulently made.

One business approached by the man quickly cottoned on to the fact he was "dodgy", and asked him to leave, at which point the man became "rude", but left without incident.

"If you do come across someone saying they're contracted to the Wellington City Council and offering to see these emergency torches . . . if safe, try to obtain a photo of the ID and forward it to us. Most likely that will be fraudulent.

"Whatever you do, don't give this guy access to secure areas of your store or hand over any money."

Anyone who believed they'd been targeted by someone fitting this description should contact police immediately.

Wellington City Council spokesman Richard MacLean confirmed the council was not running any such contract.

"We think it's quite weird, actually. It's a strange kind of scam to try and pull off," he said.

"The Wellington City Council is not in the business of doing door-to-door sales of torches, or anything else for that matter."

The council had received reports the man was also targeting people in their social housing areas.

"That probably suggests that this person is sort of quite busy out there."

MacLean said there was a "definite possibility" the man was preying on people's heightened anxiety about being prepared for another earthquake.

Please be aware - we have NOT contracted anyone to go into businesses to sell emergency torches. https://t.co/3opmLOYM7w

— Wellington City Council (@WgtnCC) July 18, 2017