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.
The Influence of the Whānau - Day 9
In a small Māori pā (village) nestled beside a flowing river, a young boy named Rangi lived with his whānau. Rangi was curious and adventurous, always exploring the ngahere (forest) and listening to the stories of his kaumātua (elders). The kaumātua would often remind him, “He waka eke noa”—we are all in this together, and our actions affect the collective.
Rangi's best friend, Manu, was a clever boy but sometimes made poor choices. Manu had recently begun spending time with a group of older boys from another pā who were known for their reckless behavior. They would waste kai (food), leave rubbish in the ngahere, and even disturb the sacred awa (river) by throwing stones at eels.
One day, Manu invited Rangi to join the group, saying, “Come on, Rangi! They’re fun, and they won’t hurt anyone. We’re just having a good time!” Unsure, Rangi agreed, feeling pressure to fit in.
The group’s leader, Matiu, proposed a game: they would sneak into the kaumātua's kumara patch at night and take some for a "feast." Rangi hesitated. He remembered the kaumātua saying how much work went into growing the kumara, with karakia (prayers) and care for the soil. But he stayed silent, feeling outnumbered.
That night, the group raided the garden. As they laughed and ate the stolen kumara by the fire, Rangi felt uneasy. He realized that this was not who he wanted to be. When he saw Manu’s joy in impressing Matiu, Rangi felt torn but remained quiet.
The next morning, the kaumātua discovered the missing kumara and the trampled garden. They called the entire pā together, expressing sadness, not anger. “Our ancestors teach us that the whenua (land) provides for all of us, but only if we treat it with respect,” said one elder. “When we harm the whenua, we harm ourselves.”
Rangi’s heart sank. That evening, he confessed to the kaumātua and his whānau, explaining everything. To his surprise, they did not scold him harshly. Instead, they said, “He tangata tītoki, he tangata rākau—a person is like a tree; they grow straight when supported by others. You must choose companions who uphold the values of your whānau and whenua.”
Rangi decided to distance himself from Manu’s new group and instead spent time with those who respected the land and upheld the teachings of their ancestors. Over time, he encouraged Manu to rejoin him, and together they worked to rebuild the kumara patch, learning from the kaumātua.
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Moral
This story highlights the importance of right company and like-mindedness. It shows that no one is inherently bad, but the influence of others and the situations we choose can lead us astray. Surrounding ourselves with those who uphold values like respect, care, and collective well-being ensures a life of balance and harmony.
Ka mua, ka muri — by learning from the past, we can walk into the future.
Poll: When should the tree go up? 🎄
From what we've heard, some Christmas trees are already being assembled and decorated.
What are your thoughts on the best time to get your Christmas tree up?
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4.7% Second half of November
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43.5% 1st December
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17.6% A week before Christmas
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33.1% Whenever you wish
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1.1% Other - I'll share below
Today’s Riddle – Can You Outsmart Your Neighbours?
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