"Police" or "the court" is calling me: the fake officer scam

"Police" or "the court" is calling me: the fake officer scam

Your phone rings and a serious voice introduces themselves as a police officer, a court official, a customs officer or someone from an embassy. They tell you you're under investigation, that there's a warrant out for you, that your bank account has been used for money laundering or that you have an unpaid fine that's about to become an arrest. And then the request comes: pay now, move your money "to protect it", or give your details. It's a scam. Police and the courts don't work like this, and knowing how they really do is enough to hang up without fear.

How does the fake police or court scam work?

1. The contact. A call (sometimes a recorded message asking you to "press 1 to speak to an officer"), a text or a WhatsApp message with a supposed court notice. The caller ID can be spoofed to show a number that looks official: that proves nothing.
2. The accusation. They say your identity has been used for serious crimes, a complaint has been laid against you, or you have an overdue fine or a court summons. They often know your name, address or part of your driver licence number, taken from data breaches, to sound credible.
3. The pressure. Immediate arrest, frozen accounts, deportation or a criminal record. They pass you to a "senior sergeant", a "detective" or a "judge" to add weight, and may send documents with crests and stamps that look official.
4. The secrecy. They tell you not to hang up and not to tell anyone (not your family, not your bank), because the case is "confidential" or "the bank is involved".
5. The payment. They ask you to transfer your savings to a "safe account", pay a fine or bail by bank transfer, buy gift cards or cryptocurrency, install a remote-access app, or read out codes you receive by text.

In New Zealand, a well-known variant targets migrants and international students: the caller claims to be from the police or an embassy of their home country, says they're linked to a crime back home and isolates them for days. If someone you know has suddenly gone quiet and is sending money "for a case", this may be what's happening.

How do I know the call is fake?

• They ask for money over the phone. NZ Police don't collect fines, bail or fees by phone, let alone by gift cards or cryptocurrency.
• They ask for passwords, codes or your PIN. No authority needs your internet banking password or the code your bank sends you.
• They threaten to arrest you if you hang up. A real investigation doesn't depend on you staying on the line.
• They demand secrecy, even from your family or your bank.
• They tell you to move your money to another account "to protect it". There are no police or court "safe accounts".
• They ask you to install an app or share your screen.
• Real court matters arrive through official channels. Court documents and fines notices come in writing; overdue fines are handled by the Ministry of Justice, and you can check how to look up and pay a fine on its official fines page. Never through an urgent call demanding payment on the spot.

What do I do if they're calling me right now?

1. Hang up. You don't need to argue or explain. Hanging up on a scammer isn't an offence.
2. Give no details: no licence or passport number, no account number, no passwords or text codes, and don't confirm your address.
3. Don't pay or move money, even if they promise you'll get it back.
4. Check it yourself. Call Police on 105, dialling it by hand, or go to your local station and ask whether anyone is trying to contact you. For a fine, look it up yourself through the Ministry of Justice's official channels. If you can, call from another phone or wait a few minutes: some scammers try to keep the line open.
5. Talk to someone you trust. Secrecy is their main weapon; saying it out loud usually breaks the spell in seconds.
6. Block and report the number, and keep screenshots or notes with the time, the number and what they said.
7. If you feel in danger, call 111.

What if I've already paid or given my details?

1. Call your bank on the official number on your card or in its app. Ask them to block your cards and access, and to try to stop or recall the payments you made.
2. Change the passwords for your internet banking and email, and turn on two-step verification.
3. If you installed a remote-access app, uninstall it, disconnect the device from the internet and have it checked before using internet banking on it again.
4. Keep all the evidence: receipts, screenshots, numbers, the fake names they used and any documents they sent.
5. Report it as soon as possible to Police (see below). The report helps your bank and the investigation.
6. Be wary of anyone offering to recover your money for a fee: a second scam aimed at victims of the first one is common.

Where do I report it?

• NZ Police: on 105 or through the 105 online service on the NZ Police website, with all your evidence. Pretending to be a police officer to commit fraud is a crime, and Police want to know about it.
• The National Cyber Security Centre: you can report the scam to the NCSC, which collects reports of scams and online fraud.
• Consumer Protection: its Scamwatch pages explain how to spot and report impersonation scams.
• Your bank, through its official channel, if any money moved.
• The NoCall spam numbers directory, so other people recognise the number when it calls them.

Frequently asked questions

The caller knew my full name and address. Doesn't that make it real? No. That information circulates after data breaches and is easy to buy. Knowing your details doesn't make anyone a police officer.

Can Police contact me by phone? Yes, for example to follow up something you reported or to ask you to come in. But they won't ask you for money, codes or passwords, and they won't stop you hanging up and calling 105 to check.

The number on my screen looked like a Police number. Is it genuine? Not necessarily. Caller ID can be spoofed. The only reliable check is to hang up and call 105 yourself.

I really do have an unpaid fine. Could the call be about that? Check it yourself through the Ministry of Justice's official fines page or by calling the number listed there. Never pay through a link or a phone call you didn't start.

In short

A real police officer doesn't collect money by phone, doesn't need your codes and doesn't ask you to keep secrets from your bank. If someone does, hang up, call 105 yourself and talk to someone you trust. If you've already paid, call your bank and report it to Police. And report the number in the NoCall spam numbers directory so the next person recognises the call.