Avoiding Scams
Tips to protect yourself
Every year thousands of people fall victim to scams through emails, phone calls and text messages. Scams are fraudulent schemes designed to deceive you and steal your money or personal information.
The danger of scams lies in their ability to look and sound genuine – at least until it’s too late. Scammers are becoming more cunning, often using technology and psychological manipulation to trick you. Fortunately, there a few easy steps that can help you.
Phone scams
Scammers often try calling and pretending to be from your bank. They usually create a sense of urgency, claiming there are issues with your bank account such as unusual account activity or overdue fees; scammers will make you think that the matter needs immediate attention.
To spot a phone scam, be wary of unexpected calls that ask for personal information such as your account details or your passwords. Most organisations do not request sensitive information over the phone. An easy way to verify if the call is genuine is to hang up and call back using the official number.
Text message scams
Text scams are when you receive messages designed to trick you into providing personal information or clicking on malicious links. These messages might say they’re from your bank, a courier company or even your insurer. They often contain urgent requests to verify your account, claim a prize or resolve a problem.
To protect yourself from text scams, never click links or respond to messages from unknown numbers. If you receive a message claiming to be from an organisation, call them directly and check.
Email scams
Email scams, or ‘phishing’ emails, are a common way scammers try to steal personal information. These emails, similar to texts, appear to be from your bank, a courier or even a shop. Like many scams, they are often ‘urgent’ and ask you to update your account information, reset your password or review suspicious activity.
Don’t click on links or download attachments from unknown or suspicious emails, especially if you’ve never heard from them before. Organisations will never ask (or should not ask) for sensitive information by email.
Key points
We are exposed to scams more and more in today’s world. To keep yourself safe:
• Be suspicious – who is contacting you and why?
• Don’t trust any unexpected contact
• Resist the urge to act immediately, despite what the message says
• Never open attachments or links if you’re not sure where they’ve come from, and
• Trust your instinct! If something doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t.
Staying vigilant and informed is crucial in protecting yourself from scams.
If you think you’ve received a text or email that you think is a scam, you can report it to the Department of Internal Affairs, following the instructions on its website (www.dia.govt.nz).
DISCLAIMER: All the information published is true and accurate to the best of the authors’ knowledge. It should not be a substitute for legal advice. No liability is assumed by the authors or publisher for losses suffered by any person or organisation relying directly or indirectly on this article. Views expressed are those of individual authors, and do not necessarily reflect the view of this firm. Articles appearing in this newsletter may be reproduced with prior approval from the editor and credit given to the source. Copyright, NZ LAW Limited, 2019. Editor: Adrienne Olsen. E-mail: adrienne@adroite.co.nz. Ph: 029 286 3650 or 04 496 5513.