Online phishing scam
With Christmas fast approaching, Police are encouraging people to be aware of online phishing scams.
The holiday season can already be a stressful time, and the last thing you want is to lose large sums of money to a scam.
A phishing scam is an online scam, where the offender pretends to be a trustworthy person or organisation to try and get a victim’s personal information.
Police has received a number of phishing scam reports with offenders targeting people who are selling items or services online like Trade Me and Facebook Marketplace.
The offenders pretend to be an interested buyer, and urgently request to buy your product and arrange a courier pickup.
The victim receives a fake courier website link to complete a verification process asking for personal details, like bank account numbers, passwords, and phone numbers.
Once provided these details, the offender uses these to access a victim’s bank account, tricking the victim into proving any multifactor authentication code sent from the victim’s bank.
The money in the victim’s bank account is then taken by the offender once access is gained.
Police are urging members of the public to be cautious, especially when someone in person or online is asking you to give them money or your personal details like bank accounts and passwords.
Never comply with a request asking you to provide or ‘verify’ your online banking details.
Legitimate organisations will never ask you to do this.
If you are unsure if it is real, please contact your bank by the phone number on their official website or go to your nearest branch.
If you receive a courier website link from a potential buyer, this is likely a scam.
Please do not fill out the verification process.
Use the social media/trading platform’s reporting tools to report the scam and the user involved.
You can also make a report to Netsafe at report.netsafe.org.nz.
If you have handed over your online banking details, contact your bank immediately and suspend your account.
If you think you have been scammed (provided your banking details and/or suffered a loss), please gather as much information you can and make a report to Police online through 105.police.govt.nz or call 105.
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Experienced Pet & House Sitter Available | 28 Jan – 22 Feb 2026
Hi everyone, due to a cancellation I've had a rare gap in my pet-sitting calendar open up, and would love to fill it with more pet cuddles. I am currently sitting in St Heliers and have lived in this community for many years before starting my house sitting journey, so would love to spend more time here.
A little about me:
- I’ve been a full-time house and pet sitter for 6 years, with all 5-star reviews
- I have fostered over 450 cats and kittens with the Lonely Miaow Association, and grew up on a lifestyle block with large dogs, cats, farm animals and small pets, so I’m confident with animals of all kinds (including those needing medication or extra care). I am also studying after-hours towards a Level 3 degree in Animal Care.
- I work from home 3-4 days a week (and spend the other 1-2 days as marketing manager in SPCA's Hobsonville Centre) so have plenty of time to spend with your precious pets
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- This is a free sit!
If you’d like to see reviews or photos from past sits, you are welcome to check out my page here: www.facebook.com...
Happy to answer any questions. Please message me to discuss your petsitting needs.
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