Banks, social media companies, government agencies and police urgently need to collaborate to tackle a rise in so-called “romance” scams and online fraud, the Banking Ombudsman says.
The ombudsman is calling for a review of the current framework when it comes to bank processes and consumer protections for scams.
MPs discussing the problem on Tuesday were told complaints to the Banking Ombudsman in the last three months were almost double the same period last year.
A Stuff investigation revealed at least three New Zealand women, Joanne, Donna, and Samantha – not their real names – have been tricked into giving more than $2 million between them to men they met through the online dating app Tinder in near-identical cons.
READ MORE:
* Greens want inquiry into banks’ responses to scams following Tinder swindler cons
* ‘You’re kidding me’: Woman who lost $517k to Tinder swindler years ago ‘blown away’ to see another woman duped
* Presenter in Tinder swindler’s fake news video thought she was helping people learn English
* ‘Prince Charming’ Tinder swindler targeted Kiwi women for years
* How a ‘prince charming’ Tinder swindler conned a woman out of $540k
Police say millions of dollars a year are being swindled from women in romance scams, believed to be run by organised criminal groups based offshore.
Following the revelations, Parliament’s finance and expenditure committee agreed to open a briefing on the responsibility of banks in identifying and protecting customers…
