Kiwis targeted by scammers claiming to be police

Scammers are duping people into buying iTunes credit and gaining access to their computers. Photo / File

Kiwis are being targeted by scammers claiming to be from the New Zealand Police and Spark.

The caller claims to be targeting internet fraud and convinced victims to buy multiple iTunes cards and provide the numbers to them.

The scammer then redeems the cards and hangs up on the victim while maintaining access to their computer.

Acting Senior Sergeant Beth Purcell called for people to be wary of the latest telephone scam.

"This is a variation on previous scams seen by police, where the scammer claims to be from a widely recognised organisation in order to gain the victim's trust. These scams run constantly and while most people will not respond or buy into them, some people are more vulnerable," she said.

Purcell urged people to talk to vulnerable or elderly family members to make sure they were aware of the tactics used by scammers.

She also called on business owners to take action and check that customers buying multiple gift cards of high value were not being pressured or duped into the purchase.

"Police's message on scams like this is simple – do not engage with anyone on the phone if you think you are being scammed – hang up immediately and report the incident. If you are in doubt as to a caller's legitimacy, ask if you can call them back, or just hang up," Purcell said.

"Regardless of whether you have lost any money, if you have installed a program allowing remote access to your computer, we recommend you seek assistance to ensure it is safely removed."

Anyone who believed they were a victim of a scam, in person, over the phone or online, should immediately report it to their bank, and then to their local police.

Information on other scams that are currently operating can be found on the Consumer Protection NZ website.