Scams are continuing to do the rounds of Central Otago, prompting some groups to raise awareness.

Alexandra Senior Citizens members recently attended a seminar about becoming scam savvy, hosted by an Age Concern Otago staff member from Dunedin as part of their SilverTech programme.

Jo Ireland, of Alexandra Senior Citizens, said of the 18 people who attended, six had been scammed.

The session taught people how to protect their personal and financial information, how to spot a scam and what to do if they suspect they have become the victim of a scam.

She said the seminar was well received and, as a result, would be repeated in the new year, which the general public would be welcome to attend.

Scams come in various forms, from those involving tax to purchase of merchandise, and can be targeted in a range of ways, including social media, text, email and phone, among others.

Monday marked the start of Fraud Awareness Week 2023, an initiative to make people aware of what scams are out there and how to avoid them.

Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) revealed on Monday that just under $200 million was lost to scams over the past year, according to 11 of New Zealand’s largest financial institutions.

Investment fraud was one particular avenue scammers were going down, which MBIE had paid particular attention to.

MBIE Fraud Awareness Week spokesperson Ian Caplin said scammers were targeting everyone across New Zealand, but especially those with savings or investments who were looking to earn a little bit more from their money.

“It’s important to remember real investments don’t just come out of the blue. If it seems too good to be true, then it probably is. If you receive unsolicited investment offers via email or through a ‘cold call’, ignore it,” he said.

“It’s illegal to sell financial products through these methods in New Zealand.”

He said investors can contact institutions directly through contact details on official websites to verify documents and payment instructions before sending any money. 

The FMA website also contains details of warnings and real-life examples of scams.

“If you think you’ve been scammed, stop all contact with the scammer,” he said.

“Do not make any more payments and contact your bank immediately. Report all investment scams to the FMA, and scams in general to CERT NZ to stop others falling victim.”

For more information about scams visit Netsafe and Consumer Protection.