Scam warning issued

Taranaki police are warning the public not to fall for a scam that could leave them thousands of dollars out of pocket.

The scam involves newspaper advertisements offering to pay 500GBP (NZ$970) per week to anyone willing to have their vehicle wrapped in branding for an energy drink. One appeared in the Stratford Press on June 20.

Stratford public safety team Constable Cameron Hunt said police understood the scammers sent a cheque for 6500GBP along with instructions for the recipient to bank it, keep 500GBP and transfer the remaining amount, before the cheque clears, to another account to pay for the vehicle wrapping. The cheque would then bounce, leaving the recipient out of pocket, Hunt said. The cheque and instructions were easily identifiable as a scam due to poor use of English in the letter and fact the cheque is for six thousand eight hundred pounds in writing but 6500GBP in total.

‘‘While we’re not aware of anyone falling for the scam, it has been reported to us, and it’s a reminder to be extra vigilant – if something seems too good to be true, it probably is.

‘‘The ads ran in newspapers about mid-June and the cheques are now arriving from the United Kingdom.’’

Hunt said anyone who received one of the cheques was urged not to bank it.

Police regularly receive reports of scams. However, their frequency and the way in which they operate varied. Anyone who believed they were a victim of a crime, in person or online, should report the matter to their local police. Netsafe and Consumer Protection NZ also provide helpful advice and information on their websites.