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Technology has made banking easier for millions, but has also made it easier to target society’s most vulnerable.
In 2025, finances can be tracked with just a single click. Spending, loans, and outstanding debts are now trackable from almost anywhere.
Counties Manukau South area prevention manager, Inspector Matt Hoyes, warns that anyone can become a target.
“Police encourage the public to stay vigilant against scams. Scammers can target anyone, but specific individuals may be at a higher risk.
“Scams are intended to manipulate or trick people into giving away their personal details, financial details, or money. A scam becomes fraud when the individual responsible for the scam obtains and uses someone’s personal, financial information or money under pretences for their own gain.”
Many banks now have multiple layers of protection to safeguard financial information, like two-factor authentication. Unfortunately, they do not always guarantee a person’s savings.
A common scam is called ‘phishing’, where perpetrators search for financial information and other personal details online. They then contact potential victims with urgent problems that need to be solved within a time limit.
All of these scams include a link that claims to resolve the issue but instead grants the scammer access to the victim’s computer and personal information.
One that has been in the spotlight recently involves convincing a person that their debit card has been compromised and instructing them to place their card and passwords in their mailbox so they can be replaced.
Loan officer and loan writer Sharnie Carlyle has 25 years of banking experience and says that the best thing people can do is to do nothing until they are certain that any transaction is entirely legitimate.
“Always be cautious, unless the call, text, or email was expected, do not click on any links. Call or email the company directly to double-check if the correspondence was from them.”
Options to protect yourself can be as simple as never giving your passwords/logons to anyone (even the banks do not ask for or know these).
“Do not give out any account or personal information – especially if someone has contacted you. If you are unsure, contact the institution directly to verify its legitimacy. Your best protection is always to ask questions.
“If you are a victim of a scam, contact your bank immediately, and they may be able to freeze your accounts and replace cards that have been compromised.”
