Be aware of this WhatsApp scam
Police are warning people to be wary of a WhatsApp scam following an increase in reports in the Wellington District.
In this case scammers use WhatsApp to impersonate family members or friends in saying they need help and in particular need money.
Victims of this scam have received a message from an unknown number, claiming to be a loved one who has just lost their phone and got a replacement.
The scammer then attempts to obtain the victim’s credit card information.
These kinds of scams run constantly and while most people will not respond or buy into them, some people are more vulnerable.
We urge people to have conversations with vulnerable or elderly family members, to help ensure they are aware of the tactics often used by scammers and don't become victims.
If you are in doubt because a person is claiming to be a family member or friend, ask them a personal question – for example their date of birth, maiden name, pet name or name of a sibling.
Do not provide a password, credit card or bank details without making absolute sure, it is someone you know.
No legitimate agency will contact you and ask for your bank details or credit card out of the blue.
Police’s message on scams like this is simple – do not engage with anyone on the phone, and if you think you are being scammed report the incident immediately.
Anyone who believes they are a victim of a scam, in person, over the phone or online, should immediately report it to their bank, and then to their local Police.
Have you got New Zealand's best shed? Show us and win!
Once again, Resene and NZ Gardener are on the hunt for New Zealand’s best shed! Send in the photos and the stories behind your man caves, she sheds, clever upcycled spaces, potty potting sheds and colourful chicken coops. The Resene Shed of the Year 2026 winner receives $1000 Resene ColorShop voucher, a $908 large Vegepod Starter Pack and a one-year subscription to NZ Gardener. To enter, tell us in writing (no more than 500 words) why your garden shed is New Zealand’s best, and send up to five high-quality photos by email to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz. Entries close February 23, 2026.
Step by step for a great cause!
Our amazing Hillary Hikers from Edmund Hillary Village showed their support for Bowel Cancer New Zealand's Move Your Butt campaign this month!
Sporting the bright purple and orange campaign shirts, these wonderful walkers hit the Auckland waterfront and marched from Mission Bay to Kohimarama, raising awareness for bowel cancer and the importance of early detection along the way.
Click read more to read the full story.
MEGA – February 2026 Edition - First Birthday and look …… we are still here!
Plans Missing. Pipes Bursting. Names Changing. Backbone Required.
February’s MEGA issue asks one simple question: where’s the plan — and who’s in charge?
In Days Bay, the shared path currently plays hide-and-seek. It starts. It stops. Kerbs change personality mid-block. Drainage experiments with lagoon living. If there’s a fully resolved design — alignment, parking numbers, cross-sections, timeline — publish it. We’re not anti-cycleway. We’re anti-afterthought.
Ferry Road looks like it’s studying the Howard Point collapse manual. Cracks, water and gravity are a familiar trio. Fix it now or rehearse another apology.
At Moa Point, untreated wastewater has redefined “edgy capital city.” Councils are “monitoring.” The ocean would prefer maintenance.
On the positive side, MEGA supports exploring smart, regulated additional moorings in Days Bay and Lowry Bay. A bay with boats feels alive. Views alone don’t create vibrancy.
Nationally, Sky Stadium is now HNRY Stadium — not Henry, HNRY. The Cake Tin remains undefeated. Meanwhile, touring maps increasingly hit Auckland and Christchurch, then fly home. That’s not branding failure. That’s routing laziness.
The 2026 World Cup will be spectacular football wrapped in visa queues and hotel prices that require refinancing. Rugby coaching appointments may outlast the season itself.
Super City merger talk continues. In mega-structures, small boards tend to “streamline.” If Eastbourne wants influence, it needs guarantees, not nostalgia.
One clear win: HCERT now has a community-funded reconnaissance drone. Big cities have helicopters. We have propellers.
February’s message is blunt:
Publish the plans.
Fix the pipes.
Stabilise the roads.
Back ambition with delivery.
Or MEGA will keep asking.
visit: www.mega.kiwi.nz...
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