Trans-Tasman Fight Against Scams
The Australasian Consumer Fraud Taskforce has launched a trans-Tasman campaign to inform consumers about the most common types of scams and how to recognise whether an offer is genuine or false. In NZ, the Ministry of Consumer Affairs and the Commerce Commission are taking up the fight against those who scam consumers as part of the Australasian Consumer Fraud Taskforce, along with 16 agencies from across Australia.
Each year it's estimated that millions of dollars leave Australian and NZ shores to line the pocket of professional fraudsters. But scams are a global problem and are becoming increasingly sophisticated in the way they target people. The increasing use of email and the Internet to locate potential victims, and as a vehicle to perpetrate their crimes, makes it easy for scammers to send out anonymous emails worldwide, making it difficult for the enforcement agencies trying to catch them. Consumers need to look closely at any unsolicited information that is sent to them, resist these approaches and refuse to respond.
Key characteristics for consumers to look out for in identifying a scam include:
- it comes out of the blue;
- it sounds like a quick and easy way to make money;
- it tells you there is almost no effort or risk; and
- it sounds just too good to be true.
The top scams in 2005 identified by the Commerce Commission and the Ministry of Consumer Affairs included:
- International prize and lottery scams;
- "Get Rich Quick" schemes such as work from home schemes, investment scams, pyramid selling, and advanced fee and Nigerian scams; and
- "Phishing" emails from criminals pretending to be your bank in an attempt to obtain your personal details and passwords.
The Ministry of Consumer Affairs operates the Scamwatch website (http://www.scamwatch.org.nz.) This site provides consumers with information on types of scams currently operating, and links to NZ and global enforcement agencies that consumers can report scams to. |
Contact for Enquiries
The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
Pastoral House
25 The Terrace
PO Box 2526, Wellington
Tel: 0800 00 83 33
Fax: +64 4 894 0720
Contact this person
