Understanding more about scams

What is a scam?

A scam is a dishonest scheme designed to trick people into giving away their money, personal information, or access to their bank accounts. Scammers often pretend to be someone you trust—like a bank, government agency, or even a family member—to make their story sound believable. They use phone calls, emails, text messages, or social media to reach you, and they often create a sense of urgency to pressure you into acting quickly.

Do you know whether something is a scam or not?

  • We will never send you a text message with a link.
  • We will never ask you to download or install any remote access software on your device.
  • If we sent you a text with a phone number to call, you can verify it at heartland.co.nz/contact-us before you call us.
  • We won't ask you to make transactions or transfer funds to protect your money or to help catch scammers or other criminals.
  • We won’t ask you to read back a security code.

Ways to spot a possible scam

Scams can take many forms, such as fake investment opportunities, romance scams, or messages claiming your bank account is at risk. The goal is always the same: to get you to share sensitive information or send money. Knowing the signs of a scam and taking a moment to pause and check can help protect you and your finances. Here are some to watch out for:

You're unexpectedly asked to share your login credentials, password, PIN, or other personal details.
Someone pressures you to act urgently and discourages you from speaking to friends, family, or seeking advice.
You're asked to install remote access software, giving someone control over your device.
You're offered investment opportunities that promise guaranteed or unusually high returns.
You receive a cold call promoting an investment—this is illegal in New Zealand.
You're contacted by someone you’ve never met who asks for money or emotional support.
You're asked to make payments using cryptocurrency, gift cards (like iTunes), or money transfer services such as Western Union or MoneyGram.
You're encouraged to open a new bank account or use your existing one to move funds on someone else’s behalf.
You notice a change in a business email address you regularly send payments to.
You're sent suspicious links with unusual web addresses (e.g. www.HBL.verify.xyz).
Messages contain spelling errors, blurry logos, or poor formatting.
While using online marketplaces or social media, you're asked to move the conversation to another platform like WhatsApp or WeChat.
You're dealing with sellers who have just joined a platform, have no reviews, or very few followers.

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