Western Bay of Plenty Police are investigating incidents where people have received a scam phone call from someone claiming to be a police officer.
Acting Sergeant Gea Grilli is urging members of the Western Bay of Plenty community to be alert to the scam.
The ‘officer’ will call from an unknown number, and provide details in order to seemingly prove their identity.
They claim to be running an undercover operation into fraudulent bank notes coming from large banks in the Tauranga area, and ask people to withdraw money for evidence, with a script provided to answer any questions from the bank.
The scammer will then ask for several bank note serial numbers to determine whether the notes are fraudulent, and will provide a fake number for the victim to file an insurance claim.
The scammer then sends a courier to the victim’s house to collect the money.
“This is a scam. No legitimate police officer will ever ask you to hand over money, for whatever reason”, said police in a statement.
“If you want to establish the identity of a Police Officer, ask for their full details and contact Police on 105. Tell Police you think you have been contacted by an officer and ask for their details to be confirmed.
“Older members of the community are being targeting and Police urge anyone with older or vulnerable family and friends to make them aware of this unlawful activity.
“Since 1 April 2026, Western Bay of Plenty Police have received 12 instances of this unlawful activity happening in the community.
“We ask people to be vigilant, and to educate themselves on how best to protect themselves from these scams.
“New Zealand Police will also never contact people seeking their banking details, card numbers, PIN, or passwords.
“There are instances where legitimate police officers will contact you as part of their duties, but New Zealand Police will never ask you to withdraw money.”
Remember:
- Police will never ask for details about your bank cards, PIN or passwords over a landline phone call.
- Trust your instincts – if something doesn’t feel right, or is too good to be true, it probably isn’t.
- If you are approached, check in with a trusted friend or relative.
- If you are still uncertain or confused, ask for the officer’s details, hang up, contact 105 and request that officer call you back.
- If you believe you are in the unfortunate position of being a victim of a scam or seem this situation may be familiar, please report the matter to Police and your bank.
Take the chance to upskill yourself on scam awareness, check for further information on the Netsafe website.
