ASB Scam Hub

An investment scam is a fraudulent scheme where individuals or entities promise high returns on investments, so they can steal the victims' funds.

These scammers often use persuasive tactics and false information to lure you into handing over your money. They may present themselves as legitimate investment firms, offering products like stocks, real estate, or cryptocurrency. Returns may be higher than normal market returns, although normally not enough to raise suspicion with their victims.  Once the funds are handed over, the scammer typically disappears or provides fake updates to delay suspicions. 

It's important to be cautious and conduct thorough research before making any investment, especially if the opportunity seems too good to be true. Take your time to investigate the company - thoroughly. Before you make any decisions, you should speak to a licensed financial advisor or professional.

Romance scams involve deceptive individuals who create fake romantic relationships with the intention of exploiting you emotionally and financially. These scammers often pose as genuine love interests on online dating platforms, social media, or even through email. They use affectionate messages and build a sense of trust and intimacy with their targets. Once trust is established, they may fabricate a crisis or financial need and ask for money or personal information. People who are emotionally invested, may be more susceptible to providing financial support. 

It's important to be cautious and sceptical when developing online relationships, especially if requests for money or sensitive information arise. Don't send money, card or bank details or important identity documents like your passport to someone you've only met online: No matter how long you've been messaging them.

Never agree to transfer money for someone else. That is called money laundering - which is a serious offence.

Impersonation scams involve a deceitful attempt by a scammer to pose as a trusted individual, organisation, or authority figure. These scams can take various forms, such as fraudulent phone calls,  text messages, or even in-person encounters. The goal is to gain your trust and manipulate you into providing sensitive information or money. 

Common examples include tech support scams, where scammers pretend to be IT experts, and Bank staff impersonation, where they claim to represent your bank. Staying cautious and verifying the identity of unfamiliar contacts is crucial in protecting against impersonation scams.

If this happens hang up immediately and call 0800 ASB FRAUD (0800 272 372 or +64 9 303 0332 if you're overseas). You can also ask ASB to send you a notification through the app, this is known as 2 step verification.

If you receive a suspicious text, you can report it to the Department of Internal Affairs free of charge by forwarding it to 7726. Once reported, you'll receive a text response asking you to complete a report. This will help stop others falling for the same scam.

A job scam is a fraudulent offer of work that is intended to mislead people seeking legitimate employment. It will usually involve working remotely from home requiring no previous experience for high wages and the lure of fast money for little effort.

The scammers objective is to deceive job seekers into giving away their money, bank account details or disclosing other private information to use for criminal purposes.

Be wary of unsolicited job offers that are found on social media platforms or sent via SMS or via services like WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger. Look out for employers with no physical address that require money up front and where you are asked to use your own bank account or open other bank accounts to move money through.

Check out any offers of work carefully and research the 'company' that reached out to you to verify the job offer. Remember if it sounds to good to be true, it most likely is.

An online buy and sell scam is when someone poses as a buyer or a seller on a buy and sell social media page or group, or sets up a fake business. Often, this happens on the likes of Facebook Marketplace or Trade Me. Scammers usually exploit your optimism by offering goods or services that may not exist at a price that seems too good to be true.

If you're buying, inspect the goods in person, check the seller's reviews, ask for more photos and be cautious if the price seems too good to be true. 

If you're a seller, only use trusted payment methods, don't take screenshots as proof payment. Check your bank account before sending goods. And don't click on any links a buyer sends you to confirm purchase or postage.

Fake websites are deceptive online platforms designed to mimic legitimate websites. They are created by cybercriminals with the intent to trick you into believing you are interacting with a reputable organisation, like a bank, online store, or government agency.

These fraudulent sites often look very similar to the real ones, with convincing logos, layouts, and content. They may prompt you to enter personal information, such as login credentials or credit card details, which is then stolen by the perpetrators for malicious purposes. 

Avoid falling victim to fake websites, by verifying the website's authenticity - check the URL, look for security indicators, and avoid clicking on suspicious links.

If you have a secure, authenticated way to reach an organisation (an app or portal) use these rather than search engine results. Do some research on the organisation or person you are dealing with before giving anyone your money or personal information. Don't rely on reviews written on the website itself - search for independent reviews on other sites.

A remote access scam is when someone requests you to download software that shares remote access to your device. This will allow scammers to take control of your device and get hold of your personal information without you knowing. 

If you receive a phone call out of the blue about your computer and remote access is requested - hang up immediately - even if they mention a well-known company.

If you have given remote access to a scammer, turn your computer off immediately, this will end the remote access session.

Malware, short for malicious software, refers to any type of software or code intentionally designed to cause harm to your computer system, network, or device. Malware is typically created by cybercriminals and is often disguised as legitimate software or hidden within seemingly harmless files. Once it infects a system, it can carry out harmful activities like stealing sensitive information, damaging files, or even taking control of the device.

Protecting against malware involves using antivirus programs, regularly updating software, and being cautious when downloading files or clicking on links from untrusted sources. Be wary of free downloads and website access, such as music, games, movies and adult sites. They may install harmful programs without you knowing.