NZ Police community information warns that people may be contacted by phone or WeChat and drawn into a fraudulent money-making arrangement, or told to follow an unknown person's instructions. If someone demands immediate action, secrecy, payment, or personal information, stopping the interaction is safer than trying to argue with them.
Do these three things first
- Stop responding: do not answer an unknown or suspicious call, and do not continue a WeChat conversation.
- Do not follow an unknown person's instructions: do not transfer money, receive money for them, download an app, or take part in a supposed “task”.
- Tell someone you trust: contact family, a friend, a school, or another trusted person. Seek Police help if you are concerned about a scam.
Never hand over personal or account details in a call
Do not provide your or your family's date of birth, password, bank-account number, or phone number by phone or WeChat. A claimed government department, diplomatic mission, or Interpol connection is not proof. Find the organisation's public contact details yourself and verify independently.
If an unknown person says “do it now”, hang up, tell family, and verify with a number you found yourself.
Why pausing the contact matters
Unknown callers and WeChat messages often rely less on technical tricks than on pressure: a claimed embassy, Police, bank, or courier representative may demand secrecy, an immediate transfer, a link click, or a verification code. Ending the call gives you back time to decide, however official the caller sounds.
Check independently
Do not call a number supplied by the caller or keep checking in the same WeChat conversation. End the contact, then find the organisation's details through its official website, a saved bill, or your contacts. Say only that you are checking a call; do not first disclose identity details, banking information, passwords, or codes. Save screenshots of suspicious messages, numbers, web pages, and payment records.
If you have shared details or paid
Contact your bank promptly, explain that you may have encountered a scam, and ask what account-protection steps are available. Change passwords for affected accounts. Report suspected scams to Police on 105 when there is no immediate danger; call 111 if someone faces an immediate threat to life or property. Tell a trusted person rather than handling the situation alone.
A useful family agreement
Agree that any request involving money, personal information, remote-access software, or secrecy will be paused and checked with another trusted person. This is not about distrust; it stops a scammer isolating one person under pressure.