How to deal with scams

Scams are growing in number and becoming even harder to identify, which means we're all at risk of being scammed. Help protect yourself and your whānau and friends with some tips from our Customer Protection team.

Sareta Fraser Kiwibank Senior Fraud Investigator

Our Kiwibank Customer Protection tīma (team) is dedicated to monitoring and responding to scams and threats that could affect our customers.

Senior Fraud Investigator Sareta Fraser is part of this hard-working tīma and shares her advice on what we can all do to help protect ourselves from scams.

1. Slow it down

Scams usually take the form of emails (called ‘phishing’), text messages (‘smishing’) and calls that look and sound like they’re from official sources, but spoiler alert: they’re not. Find out more about different types of scams.

Got a text, email or phone call claiming to be from Kiwibank? Before you respond, take a minute to check for any of the following warning signs.

Scam warning signs to look out for

  1. 1
    Tahi

    Wrong phone number

    Check to see if the text was sent from a mobile number (e.g. 021 prefix) — our Kiwibank SMS texts are only ever generated from 4336 or 4337.

  2. 2
    Rua

    Wrong email address

    Check the sender’s email address by hovering over their name to make sure that it follows our Kiwibank format of [name or team]@kiwibank.co.nz.

  3. 3
    Toru

    Urgent requests

    Is the sender or caller urgently requesting money or asking you to respond quickly? We will never ask you for money or to urgently act.

  4. 4
    Whā

    Password or pin requests

    Is the sender or caller asking for your password or PIN? We will never ask you to share or state your password or PIN — ever!

  5. 5
    Rima

    Too good to be true

    If what the sender or caller is offering sounds too good to be true, the chances are it probably is. Do some research, talk to others and get the facts before you act.

2. Report it

  • If you have been scammed (or think you might have been), let us know as quickly as you can by calling us on 0800 113 355 or +64 4 473 1133 if you are overseas  
  • If you have any doubts about any emails claiming to be from Kiwibank, forward the email to us at suspicious.email@kiwibank.co.nz
  • If you notice any suspicious transactions, you can put a temporary block on any of your cards via the mobile app or internet banking.

3. Talk about it

Scams are designed to trick us, and we are all vulnerable to being scammed. If you’ve been scammed, you're not alone.

But by sharing our knowledge and experience of scams with our friends and whānau, we'll all be better prepared to deal with the next scam that comes our way.

And remember...

  • Never disclose your One Time PINs to anyone, even Kiwibank staff
  • Always open and read One Time PINs– don't just let your mobile phone enter the code for you
  • Never click a link sent by text message or email unless you're 100% confident it's legitimate. If in doubt, don’t click! 
  • Look out for bad grammar or spelling in texts and emails – it could be a sign that it’s a scam.

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This page provides general information and isn't intended as regulated financial advice. To review your specific situation and financial requirements please talk to one of our Kiwibank Representatives or your Financial Adviser.