November 14-20 marks international Fraud Awareness Week, which in Aotearoa is led by Consumer Protection NZ, with a focus on "together let's fight scams".

In 2020, New Zealanders lost more than $18 million dollars to online fraud and scams according to Netsafe. Covid-19 lockdowns also exacerbate the number of people hoodwinked by dubious actors according to MBIE 2020 data - due to more time spent at home and an increase in online shopping.

At Vodafone, we want to help our customers stay safe online. Below you can find some helpful tips for spotting a scam and if you think you may have fallen victim please visit consumerprotection.govt.nz or https://www.vodafone.co.nz/help/frauds-scams-and-safety/

Be suspicious of a potential online scam if:

• You get approached by a business/government/other organisations employee unexpectedly - always question uninvited txts/calls/emails in case it is a scam. Instead, contact the organisation directly through their website.
• You are being pressured to make a financial decision or transaction quickly – a genuine bank or trusted organisation would never pressure you to send money across instantly.
• You get asked for money or personal information unexpectedly - a genuine business, bank or government department will never contact you to ask for your PIN, password or to move money to another account.
• You are asked to click on a link in an unexpected email or text and the link looks suspicious – you can't guarantee where the link will take you or what software It will try and download onto your device. By clicking on this link, you may be opening the door for scammers to collect personal or financial information stored on your device. A lot of people have their credit card information saved to their device which could then fall into the wrong hands.

And one final piece of advice. Always listen to your instincts – if something feels wrong, then it often is.

#FraudAwarenessWeek #Togetherletsfightscams