Police have secured the upper hand over an alleged scammer¡¯s bid to dupe Kiwis out of hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Now, Police are urging victims to act quickly if they suspect they have been the victim of a scam for the best chance of having their funds recovered.
Auckland City CIB¡¯s Detective Senior Sergeant Craig Bolton says, for one Gore victim, their swift actions have led to more than just having their funds back safe in the bank.
¡°In early June, Police received a report of what was believed to be a fraudulent transaction being made from a bank involved.
¡°The victim reported the matter on Monday 3 June after his bank contacted him with concerns about a payment he had made into another New Zealand account.¡±
The transaction was for $40,000.
¡°Following information received from this victim, Police making enquiries into the scam identified a man believed to be involved,¡± Detective Senior Sergeant Bolton says.
¡°The 30-year-old Australian citizen visiting Auckland Central was arrested earlier this month and has since been charged with four counts of engaging in money laundering.
¡°The man has been remanded in custody and is next due to reappear on 6 August 2024.
¡°These charges relate to two victims at opposite ends of the country.¡±
While this is a great result, unfortunately, the reality of these types of damaging scams has seen the other Auckland-based victim of the same alleged offender $150,000 out of pocket.
¡°It is absolutely devastating for those who are losing money in such huge quantities like this,¡± Detective Senior Sergeant Bolton says.
¡°Police will always do everything we can to try and recover the funds, including working with banks, however this does demonstrate some of the complexities we face.¡±
It is alleged both of these victims have been impacted by the ¡®term deposit scam¡¯, which Police recently warned has re-emerged.
Detective Senior Sergeant Bolton says prevention will always be the best way to stop an offender in their tracks.
¡°We are again urging the public to please consider the following advice if you are considering placing your money into a term deposit scheme.¡±
? Never enter contact details into any online website that offers ¡®term deposit¡¯ rates
? If you think you may have entered your contact details on a website offering fake term deposits, do not engage in conversations over the phone with a person purporting to be from a bank - disconnect the call and phone back on a number displayed on the bank¡¯s website
? You can always call your bank to seek reassurance and confirmation you are talking to a trusted and legitimate employee
? Seek advice from a trusted friend or family member, or someone who has knowledge of investments before sending any money anywhere
? Check the URL of the website that you are directed to and confirm it is the valid website for the bank that you believe that you are dealing with
? The Financial Markets Authority publishes the names of suspicious companies on their website.
If you believe you are or have been the victim of fraud, contact Police at 105.police.govt.nz , or call Police on 105 and report the matter.
ENDS.
Anna Thompson/51½ÖÉä