Rotorua police are warning people to beware of two women posing as welfare agents doing an anti-smacking survey.
The pair were knocking on doors to case out homes to burgle, police said.
Six people contacted Rotorua police on Wednesday, concerned about two women who claimed they were doing
a survey for Work and Income about the anti-smacking legislation.
Work and Income told police they knew nothing about the two women or the survey.
Spokeswoman Julie Hill told the Daily Post she was concerned people were imitating staff members.
"None of our staff are out there doing anti-smacking surveys or any surveys. And if for some reason clients were doing home visits, it would be organised with the person and they would provide identification."
The newspaper said the women did not have identification or computer equipment and would not give their telephone numbers when asked. They carried only a school exercise book.
Rotorua police Sergeant John Cassidy said the women asked residents if they could enter their homes and conduct the survey, which was estimated to take about 20 minutes.
The two Maori women are aged in their 40s and 20s and can pass as mother and daughter. They were tidily dressed and the younger of the two had three facial piercings.
Mr Cassidy said it was possible the women were either burglars themselves or were scoping the area to tell other people about the best places to burgle.
- NZPA
