Official-source education
Calls impersonating Immigration New Zealand about visa problems
Immigration New Zealand (INZ) warns that callers may impersonate INZ, claim there is an urgent visa problem, and seek payment or personal information. INZ will never call to ask for payment.
Risk level：highEvidence：Immigration New Zealand has issued a clear warning.
First observed：8 May 2026
Last verified：4 August 2026
Impersonated entities：Immigration New Zealand (INZ)
Channels：Phone call
Target groups：Visa holders
Common behaviour or wording
- The caller impersonates INZ and claims there is an urgent visa problem.
- They may ask you to press 1 or speak to an operator, and use threats of legal action.
Information or funds requested
- Payment
- Passport details
- Bank details
Key risk indicators
- A New Zealand mobile number does not prove a call is from INZ.
- INZ will not call to ask for payment.
- Requests for personal or financial information, or pressure about a visa problem.
What to do
- Do not provide personal or financial information; hang up immediately.
- If you need to check your visa status, contact the INZ Service Centre through official INZ contact channels.
- Report the call to CERT NZ; in New Zealand you can also contact Netsafe on 0508 638 723.
- If you have paid money or shared banking details, contact your bank immediately.
Official reporting channels
- CERT NZ online reporting form
- Netsafe: 0508 638 723
- INZ Service Centre official contact channel
Official sources
- Immigration New Zealand · Immigration scam phone calls on the rise8 May 2026
Timeline
- 8 May 2026 INZ published its phone-scam announcement.
- 4 August 2026 NZSAFE manually verified that the official page remained accessible.
Variants
- Caller ID may show a New Zealand mobile number.