Canterbury police have been kept busy with fraud and scam investigations this year, and are asking people to report anything dodgy straight away
Photo: 123RF
Canterbury police say 2022 has been a big year for fraud and scam investigations, and they’re issuing a reminder to keep banking details safe and secure and to report fraud immediately, to help minimise the damage.
The area has six officers working on fraud that have been being kept busy, Detective Sergeant Mike Freeman said.
“In the last 12 months Canterbury Police … investigated a large number of fraud cases, and arrested and charged a significant number of offenders and placed them before the courts. A number of the offenders had committed multiple frauds.
“In the last twelve months we have also seen a number of cases involving employees defrauding their employers, where reparations of between $30,000 to $80,000 have been ordered.”
Detective Sergeant Mike Freeman
Photo: NZ POLICE
This year they also looked into cases of fraud by people with Enduring Powers of Attorney status, and business fraud involving shareholder funds, Freeman said.
Their top tip for 2022 was a warning that anyone who suspected they had been the victim of online fraud should get in touch with their bank immediately.
“The first 24 hours after the incident are critical … some people will try to fix the problem themselves before seeking help and may inadvertently get themselves deeper in a hole,” Freeman said.
“It’s…
