‘Financial crime is increasing in both scale and complexity’

• Published date: 15 March 2024
• Author: Jaime Lyth
• Publication title: Daily Post, The (Rotorua, New Zealand)

Last year, police admitted it was impossible to identify overseas scammers and New Zealand investigators are “not focused” on solving international scam crimes. So, how do you catch an invisible criminal? And what justice is there for Kiwi victims

Scams are one of the most pressing challenges of our time, according to The State of Scams In New Zealand 2023 report and survey by the Global Anti-Scam Alliance and Netsafe.

“Scams, evolving in complexity and frequency, remain a significant concern, and New Zealand, like many countries globally, stands at the forefront, seeking ways to combat this menace,” says the report.

Of 1000 people surveyed for the report, 17 per cent had lost money to scams, with an average loss of $3165, amounting to a staggering $2.05 billion nationally.

The report found...