NZ Market watchdog targeted by scam

This is the latest in a slew of online scams. Photo/Twitter.

New Zealand's market watchdog - which warns Kiwis about cheats and chicanery - has itself been the target of a scam.

The Financial Markets Authority, the regulator of the country's capital markets and investment landscape, says people should ignore emails about its purported conference.

"If you receive an email titled 'Training: Financial Regulatory Update 2018' – please delete it immediately. It is a scam and was not sent by us," the FMA said yesterday evening.

"The email from Osmar Lopez (‪fma@osmarlopez.com‬) asks you to provide your password, information we would never request. Please ignore any correspondence from this email address. It is not an official FMA email," the watchdog said.

We've been alerted to a phishing e-mail advertising an FMA conference. It asks for information we would never request and is a scam. If you receive it, please delete immediately.

— FMA Media (@FMAmedia) January 11, 2018

This comes in the same week that Whittaker's has been targeted with faux promotional campaign, offering consumers six chocolate bars in return for their information.

Air New Zealand has also recently seen its brand incorporated in an online scam offering an opportunity to win free airline tickets to those who complete a survey.

Netsafe chief executive Martin Cocker this week advised consumers to be cautious online, given that online scammers have become more sophisticated over time, often replicating authentic communications.

"You now have scams that look 100 per cent like legitimate marketing material," he said.