Fake Police scam: UK national arrested after nearly $300k lost
A Police investigation has turned the heat up on a cold-calling scammer claiming to be an officer.
Police recently shared about the scam in which victims receive a call to their landline phone, by someone pretending to be a Police officer and providing a fake badge number.
In recent weeks, 18 Aucklanders have allegedly been duped out of more than a quarter of a million dollars.
Detective Senior Sergeant Craig Bolton, from Auckland City’s Financial Crime Unit, says victims are told a story about needing their assistance with an investigation.
“The scam will always involve this so-called officer asking for financial information or asking you to withdraw cash to be collected as part of an investigation into banks,” he says.
On Monday, real Police officers caught up with the scammer following a foot chase through central Auckland.
Detective Senior Sergeant Bolton says a 25-year-old UK national was taken into custody.
Today, he will face the Auckland District Court on 22 charges of obtains by deception, attempting to obtain by deception and escaping custody.
Police will be opposing his bail.
“We will allege in court that this man, who only arrived in New Zealand in early June, was on his way at the time to collect more cash from a previous victim,” Detective Senior Sergeant Bolton says.
“Instead, real detectives turned up at the victim’s doorstep to advise him he was about to be scammed out of $20,000 in cash.
“Financial Crime investigators from all three policing districts' fraud teams in Tāmaki Makaurau have been working together to piece together this offending, and this is a great outcome.”
Aucklanders who fell victim of the scam were aged between 56 and 90, with the majority over 80.
“This man’s alleged actions betrayed the good-will of vulnerable and elderly members of our community,” Detective Senior Sergeant Bolton says.
The offender has victims from right across Auckland, with a total of $297,700 in cash lost.
Detective Senior Sergeant Bolton says enquiries are ongoing, and Police will work to recover as much of the cash as possible.
Please remember:
- Police will never call to ask you for bank details, pin numbers or passwords
- Police do not offer prize money
- Police will not ask you to go to a bank to withdraw money
- If you receive a call out of the blue of a similar nature: challenge the caller to identify themselves, ask for their details.
- Hang up, contact 105 to verify the ID and request the officer to contact you
- If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
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Here's what you need to know before making an offer on a house
🏠 What is the neighbourhood like?
Familiarise yourself with the neighbourhood, to check accessibility to public transport, schools and shops. Visit the street at different times of day, to find out how quiet or noisy it gets. Check with the local council whether they know of any future developments in the area that could increase noise or traffic.
🏠 How much are the rates and insurance?
Do a property search on the local council’s website to see what the rates are.
You can also get quotes from insurers to find out what it might cost to insure it.
Check whether the homeowner is paying off the cost of installing insulation or heating units through their rates, because you will inherit that debt if you buy the house.
🏠 For a unit title, check the pre-contract disclosure
If the property is on a unit title development (for example, an apartment), ask to see the pre-contract disclosure. This is basic information about the unit and the unit title development.
🏠 Get a LIM (Land Information Memorandum) report
A LIM report tells you everything the local council knows about the land and the buildings, for example, what building consents and code compliance certificates they have issued for work done on the property.
🏠 Pre-purchase building inspection
Get an independent building inspector to examine the house thoroughly and look for potential problems with weather-tightness, wiring, plumbing or the foundations (piles).
Ask them to check for features that might make maintenance more difficult. For example, some types of wall claddings need specialist knowledge to maintain, access to the gutters might not be straightforward, and retaining walls can be expensive to repair.
🏠 Check the property title
Ask a lawyer or conveyancer to check the property title for things like easements. For example, an easement might allow a neighbour to access part of the property. The property title should also confirm the property boundary.
More information is on the Settled website:
www.settled.govt.nz...
Image credit: Ray White New Zealand
Info credit: Citizens Advice Bureau: cab.org.nz
Poll: As a customer, what do you think about automation?
The Press investigates the growing reliance on your unpaid labour.
Automation (or the “unpaid shift”) is often described as efficient ... but it tends to benefit employers more than consumers.
We want to know: What do you think about automation?
Are you for, or against?
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9.5% For. Self-service is less frustrating and convenient.
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43.4% I want to be able to choose.
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47.1% Against. I want to deal with people.
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