What to do if you think you have been scammed
1. Stop all contact with the scammer
Once you realise you are being scammed, do not continue the conversation. Hang up the phone. Don’t reply to emails or letters scammers have sent you. If you have been scammed online, block the scammer from contacting you
2. Do not make any more payments
Some scammers target people caught in recent scams. For example, by pretending to be an enforcement agency that can return all your money for a fee. Don’t give money to anyone on the promise they will get your lost money back.
3. Contact the bank or service you sent money through
If you are the victim of a financial scam, credit card scam or identity theft, contact your bank immediately. The sooner your bank knows about it the greater the likelihood of getting the money back.
4. Report it
Take time to protect others.
Report it(external link) — National Cyber Security Centre
5. Secure your online accounts
Change passwords immediately for any accounts linked to the scam and others using the same password.
If you suspect malware, contact IT support or a trusted service to remove it and secure your device.
What to do later
Assess your security at home and online
Own Your Online provides practical guidance, tips and advice to help you understand how to protect yourself against common online security threats, and how to respond if something happens.
Guides(external link) - Own Your Online
You can complete their short online security assessment to understand how secure you are online and get a customised action plan to help level up for extra protection.
Online security assessment tool(external link) – Own Your Online
Equip yourself to recognise scams
Anyone can be caught unaware by a scam. Take time to learn about the approaches scammers use and how you can protect yourself.
Talk about what happened
Telling your friends and family about the scam is one of the best ways to act. It can be hard, but sharing your story is worthwhile because scammers rely on people being secretive. Every person you talk to will be better prepared to avoid scams in the future.
Report a scam
Reporting a scam is important, whether for yourself or on behalf of someone else. Reporting puts you in touch with someone who can give advice specific to your situation. It also helps other people avoid similar scams.
Scams can be reported to Cert NZ, NZ Police, The Department of Internal Affairs and individual telecommunication agencies. Each cover a specific area of content and has a role to play in protecting people from online scams and spam.
Report scams, computer or security issues with your device
Report an incident(external link) — National Cyber Security Centre
If the scam happened on a social media platform or online marketplace, report the page, ad, or account directly to that platform. Multiple reports help platforms detect scams faster and remove harmful content.
Report money lost in a scam
105 (Ten-Five) Information(external link) — New Zealand Police
Report investment scams
Report a scam(external link) — Financial Markets Authority
Report spam texts or email
How to report scams(external link) — Department of Internal Affairs
Help a friend or family member to recognise a scam
Find out how to report scams
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Help others
Help a friend or family member to recognise a scam.