More scams doing the rounds

Countdown shopping vouchers are the latest ploy scammers are using to target their victims.

A number of scams are circulating at the moment, including one targeting victims with the lure of shopping vouchers to Countdown supermarket.

Consumers are advised that Countdown does not ask for personal details such as PIN numbers over the phone or online, and the supermarket strongly encourages customers not to give out personal details to anyone claiming to be from the chain.

The scam, in both text and email form, has been telling customers they have won Countdown vouchers ranging from $50 to $2500, asking people to participate in surveys or confirming delivery of orders they have not placed.

Countdown advises that sometimes they do send out texts to customers who have registered to receive them, but they will come from the number 800. Online shopping customers will receive text messages from the number 4141 for delivery and 5872 for pick up.

When receiving an email from any company, make sure you check the email address it has been sent from – if the email address seems strange, such as [email protected] or [email protected]

do not click on any links, including the unsubscribe button. Also, be aware of fake Facebook pages – Countdown’s official page has a blue tick next to it, making it as verified.

Scratch and win tickets from New Balance Tour have also been appearing in people’s letterboxes, telling them they have won $200,000.  This scam is what’s known as an advanced fee fraud- a scam designed to extract money from unsuspecting “winners”, by asking for a few thousand dollars to cover administrative costs and taxes so they can claim their big prize. This is similar to the people in Nigeria seeking your help to liberate all that money they have stuck in the bank for want of a few thousand dollars in processing fees that they need from you.

The scratch and win scammers will also ask you to hand over person details such as passport numbers and credit card details. Normally two tickets will come accompanied with a glossy and professional-looking brochure. Netsafe advises not to hand over any personal details, obviously, but also not to call the scammers to check it out as they will likely be using a premium rate telephone number.  The company names associated with these scams change almost weekly, so it is best to live by the adage “if it seems too good to be true, it probably is”.

More Recent News

Libraries – ‘more than books’

The man helping take Waipā District Libraries’ public services into the age of technology has been nuts about computers since he was about four. Now in his late 20s, Joe Poultney is a self-confessed techno-nerd…

Fears over waste plan

The proposal to build a waste to energy plant in Te Awamutu is the antithesis of all the district stands for, says Waipā mayor Susan O’Regan. O’Regan appeared before an independent Board of Inquiry in…

Five councils take the plunge

Ōtorohanga District Council led the way last week as the first of five councils to decide to hand its drinking and waste water over to a council-controlled water authority. Ōtorohanga councillors voted to join stage…

Brilliant bare necessities

The deft hands of a veterinary surgeon and scientist are the same hands that have crafted the brilliant costumes for the upcoming St Peter’s Catholic School production of The Jungle Book. The three performances in…