Scammers impersonating police targeting cryptocurrency wallet holders
We have received reports of scammers impersonating New Zealand Police and calling cryptocurrency wallet holders.
What's happening
We have received reports of scammers impersonating New Zealand Police and calling cryptocurrency wallet holders.
The scammers are telling victims their cryptocurrency details were exposed and that they need to recover or secure their account by entering their details into a fake support website.
What this means
Scammers are gaining access to victims’ cryptocurrency wallets by instructing them to share their cryptocurrency wallet details, including their seed phrases (the secret phrase used to access cryptocurrency wallets).
What to look for
Watch out for an unsolicited call from someone impersonating New Zealand Police or a cryptocurrency wallet support team claiming your details have been exposed.
Scammers have gained access to victims’ details from past data breaches. If you are a cryptocurrency wallet holder and you know or suspect that you have been involved in a data breach, you may be at risk.
What to do
Prevention:
Do not follow any instructions to share your cryptocurrency details. Especially, do not share your seed phrase.
Never store your seed phrase digitally in an unencrypted format.
If you think you have received a scam call, hang up and call the organisation back using their official publicly listed phone number or other official channels.
Although you can’t prevent scam calls, there are things you can do to make sure you recognise one. Look out for the following:
- An unexpected call from an organisation.
- A sense of urgency to act now.
- A request to download software, transfer money, or provide access to devices or accounts.
Mitigation:
If you have been targeted by this scam and believe you are at risk or have been affected:(external link)
- Contact your digital currency exchange provider immediately.
- Report the scam to Police 105 (NZ Police online scam reporting tool(external link)) and/or the NCSC (report a cyber security issue(external link)).
More information
If you require more information or further support, submit a report on our website or contact us on 0800 114 115.