Police warn businesses to stay alert
Waitematā Police are reminding businesses to be vigilant, after a spate of attempted fraudulent activity in recent weeks.
Waitematā CIB Detective Sergeant Mark Renfree says Police are aware of three recent incidents where a person or persons have attempted to obtain goods fraudulently.
“In each case, an individual has called a local hardware-type business and placed an order for a large amount of product. This person has attempted to charge the product to the account of a company known to the business.”
Once approved, the scammer has sent an Uber driver to pick up the items.
“So not only are they committing fraud, but they are also putting innocent and unaware Uber drivers into the middle of this offending,” Detective Sergeant Renfree says.
An investigation into these incidents is ongoing, however Police want to warn businesses to be aware of this specific type of scam and to take steps to safeguard against it.
“Our message is simple, do not allow anyone to charge items to an account without verifying them and obtaining identification of the caller,” says Detective Sergeant Renfree. “Anyone purchasing goods should know all the company details they are charging to.”
Businesses should follow these steps:
• Verify all orders placed over the phone, especially if the caller is unknown
• Cross-check contact details with official account records
• Do not dispatch goods until the order is confirmed by a known contact
• Report any suspicious activity to Police
“We are reminding people to be vigilant and cross-check all details,” Detective Sergeant Renfree says. “And most importantly, do not hand over anything until you are satisfied everything is correct.”
Police are encouraging any suspicious behaviour to be reported online at 105.police.govt.nz or by calling 105.
Information can also be reported anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.
Some Choice News!
DOC is rolling out a new tool to help figure out what to tackle first when it comes to protecting our threatened species and the things putting them at risk.
Why does this matter? As Nikki Macdonald from The Post points out, we’re a country with around 4,400 threatened species. With limited time and funding, conservation has always meant making tough calls about what gets attention first.
For the first time, DOC has put real numbers around what it would take to do everything needed to properly safeguard our unique natural environment. The new BioInvest tool shows the scale of the challenge: 310,177 actions across 28,007 sites.
Now that we can see the full picture, it brings the big question into focus: how much do we, as Kiwis, truly value protecting nature — and what are we prepared to invest to make it happen?
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Poll: Is Auckland’s economy improving?
The latest reporting from The Post suggests a wave of optimism for 2026. With interest rates finally heading south, businesses are feeling more positive. But for many on the ground, the real-world recovery feels a bit like a slow-moving commute on Auckland's motorways.
We want to know: Are you seeing signs of Auckland's economy improving in your industry or neighbourhood? Whether it's busier shops, new projects kicking off, or just a shift in the mood ...
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