Scammers have taken a massive $265 million from New Zealanders in the past year, according to new figures revealed as part of Fraud Awareness Week 2025. The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) says the scale of the losses shows how sophisticated and damaging modern scams have become.

The data comes from Payments NZ’s first Reported Fraud Monitor, which gathers information from 12 banks across the country. The report shows both how scams happen and which types of fraud are hitting Kiwis the hardest.

MBIE spokesperson Ian Caplin says the numbers should be a wake up call.

“This figure really hits home how much damage scams can cause to everyday New Zealanders,” he said.

Authorised vs unauthorised scams

The Reported Fraud Monitor has broken down where the money went.

• $126 million came from authorised scams, where victims were tricked into approving payments themselves.
• $139 million came from unauthorised transactions, where scammers accessed accounts without the account holder knowing.

Caplin says both types are growing and both are becoming more deceptive.

“These figures show that scams are not only widespread but also increasingly clever. People need to stay alert and take steps to protect themselves and their finances.”

The three biggest scam types

Payments NZ says almost three quarters of the $265 million lost came from only three scam categories:

1. Products and services scams – $76 million

These involve victims paying for something that never arrives.
Examples include fake investments and online marketplace scams.

2. Relationship and trust scams – $31 million

Victims send money to someone they trust, or someone pretending to be trustworthy.
This includes romance scams, inheritance scams, lottery scams and cold calls.

3. Compromised credentials – $84 million

Scammers gain access to a person’s bank account.
This often happens through phishing, malware or remote access tools.

Although these are the largest groups, MBIE says many smaller scam types also continue to harm New Zealanders.

Fraud Awareness Week: Stop, Check, Report

As part of Fraud Awareness Week, MBIE is asking Kiwis to follow three simple steps:

Stop

Pause before responding to unexpected calls, texts or emails.

Check

Verify the sender by searching online for the phone number, email address or website.

Report

If something does not feel right, report it quickly.

Caplin says scammers rely on people being busy and reacting too fast.

“Kiwis have families to care for, jobs to do and errands to run. Scammers know that and they prey on that. Taking a moment to check could be the difference between keeping your money safe and losing it.”

Where to report a scam

Anyone who receives a suspicious message or thinks they might have been targeted can visit the official Scamwatch page:

www.consumerprotection.govt.nz/general-help/scamwatch/be-alert-stay-scam-safe

MBIE says reporting scams helps banks, government agencies and community groups respond faster and warn others before more people get caught.

A reminder: these figures are only part of the picture

The $265 million figure reflects the amount reported through New Zealand bank accounts before any possible recovery or compensation.
The real damage could be higher.

Payments NZ says the new methodology used this year gives the clearest view so far of how fraud impacts the country.

A growing threat

Fraud Awareness Week 2025 arrives at a time when scams are becoming more personalised, more convincing and more frequent.
MBIE hopes that by encouraging people to stop, check and report, fewer New Zealanders will become victims.

For media interviews with MBIE spokesperson Ian Caplin, contact media@mbie.govt.nz or call 021 289 2642.