Scams: It’s important we protect vulnerable people – Editorial

There are so many scam types that it can be confusing and challenging trying to keep up to date and clear of them.

Opinion

THE FACTS

• Scams are widespread, targeting people through emails, social media and phone calls.
• The New Zealand Banking Association will introduce protections by November, reimbursing fraud victims up to $500,000 if certain criteria are met.
• Support and advice are available from the police, Netsafe and the Department of Internal Affairs.

It’s a fair bet most people reading this have been scammed, targeted by scammers or know someone who has been caught out or had a close call.

To say scams are rife would be an understatement.

There are so many scam types that it can be confusing and challenging trying to keep up to date and clear of them.

Anyone using email needs to be aware of phishing, where a sender pretends to be a reputable organisation and tries to get people to provide personal information.

There are also scam calls from predators pretending to be from businesses such as tech or phone companies, and then there are romance scams.

Social media is a hotbed where crooks will ask directly for money or target people using a marketplace platform.

People actively trying to make money get caught out in investment scams.

There are others. The list is depressingly long.

Scams regularly make headlines, and the Herald has been campaigning for new safeguards to protect victims, highlighting cases in which people were tricked into losing their life savings through elaborate investment scams.

Just last week, the Herald reported how two young men smuggled ATM card-skimming gear into the country concealed in household goods, including air fryers, and stole more than $60,000.

Another report outlined how Wellington police received 12 reports of skimming scams in a week.

Scammers prey on people in distressing situations. Hawke’s Bay Today reported late last month how a Napier woman gave hundreds of dollars to scam callers who tricked her into thinking they’d found her missing cat.

The good news is that the New Zealand Banking Association is introducing new protections by November. Changes include banks being required to reimburse fraud victims up to $500,000 if they meet certain criteria, and new technology to identify risky or unusual customer transactions.

There is also advice and help available, including from agencies such as the police, Netsafe and the Department of Internal Affairs.

All this is important because there’s a lot at stake. The financial impact is bad enough, in some cases crippling, but the emotional and mental cost can also be traumatic.

Even tech-savvy and financially aware people can get caught.

People who aren’t either of those things are particularly at risk.

Now, more than ever, it’s important to look out for family and friends, especially those who are vulnerable.

The more aware people are and the more support they have, the better they can be protected.

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