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Tom Lee / Stuff
Police said there had been an increase in reports of phone scams in recent months in New Zealand.
Three people have been arrested as part of an ongoing investigation into phone scams that have cost victims thousands.
Police from the Auckland City Financial Crimes Unit said they were seeing an increase in reports of phone scams in recent months.
On one occasion in August, an 84-year-old man reported losing nearly $ 10,000 after receiving a call from an unknown person claiming to be from Spark, police said.
The scammer gained access to the person’s computer by asking them to download an application where they could access their computer remotely, a spokesperson added.
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The victim noted that a large sum of money had been taken.
Following inquiries with the bank, the police arrested and charged three men residing in Auckland in connection with an alleged crime of money laundering.
The men, aged 31, 28 and 26, are due to appear in Auckland District Court in October.
Detective Sergeant Bridget Doell said that although the phone scammers operated overseas, they generally recruited people in New Zealand to transfer the money to foreign accounts.
123RF
Overseas phone scammers often target the elderly.
“These people are working like money mules, and they are generally paid part of the money for their role.
“Money laundering is illegal, and we want to warn those who participate in this criminal activity that they are at risk of prosecution for their participation in these scams.”
More arrests are likely, Doell said.
“If someone approaches you online to request to use your account to transfer funds, they will likely hire you as a money mule.
“Do not interact with them or give them your account details.”
A similar investigation last year by the City of Auckland’s Financial Crimes Unit into phone scams, Operation Deadwood, resulted in 18 people being charged with money laundering offenses.
