A fake earthquake victim has been trying to scam money from people on the Kapiti Coast north of Wellington, police said today. The Maori man, aged between 30 and 40, had approached parents outside the Raumati Beach School claiming he was a victim of the Christchurch quake and asked for money,Radio New Zealand reported. People were usually generous during the crisis but those wanting to donate should do so with the Red Cross Relief Fund, Kapiti-Mana area commander Inspector John Spence said. ``To be approached by someone off the street asking for money is not the way to go about it.'' Police in Christchurch had warned earlier that criminals had been masquerading as officials in the aftermath of the Christchurch earthquake, and urged householders to be vigilant. Householders should ask for identification from people who claimed to be officials, and who might turn up wearing reflective gear. Criminals had been attempting to enter cordons and knock on doors, police said. The Ministry of Consumer Affairs had also identified several email scams, one of which claimed to be from the Red Cross. The ministry had reports of another more sophisticated scam trying to take money from people donating to the earthquake relief effort. It said the email scam was designed to look like it was from the Red Cross, but it directed people to a fake website where it asked for credit card details.
