Scam prevention in New Zealand
Scams are becoming more sophisticated and harder to spot. Criminals are using phone calls, text messages, fake websites, social media, online marketplaces and messaging apps to target New Zealanders. New technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), are making scams more convincing and easier to scale.
While no single organisation can stop scams on its own, collaboration across industries plays an important role in helping protect New Zealanders from fraud and online harm.
Through the New Zealand Telecommunications Forum (TCF), telecommunications providers work together to help reduce scam harm by disrupting scam activity, sharing intelligence, improving reporting pathways and supporting consumer awareness. Telecommunications providers also work alongside government agencies, banks, digital platforms and law enforcement to identify scam activity and take action wherever possible before it reaches consumers.
How telecommunications providers help prevent scams
Telecommunications providers invest in a range of measures designed to identify, detect and disrupt scam activity across New Zealand networks.
This includes:
- Monitoring networks for suspicious activity and scam traffic patterns.
- Blocking and filtering scam calls and text messages where possible.
- Using advanced SMS firewall technology to help stop fraudulent messages before they reach customers.
- Sharing intelligence across the telecommunications sector to respond more quickly to emerging scam campaigns.
- Supporting reporting services that help identify scam activity.
- Working with cyber intelligence partners to identify and disrupt malicious websites and domains used by scammers.
- Introducing additional protections to help reduce identity theft and account takeover risks.
Scammers constantly adapt their tactics, so scam prevention requires ongoing investment, collaboration and innovation. As scams increasingly move across multiple platforms and technologies, prevention efforts must continue to evolve alongside the threat.
Working together across New Zealand
Scam prevention is most effective when organisations work together.
The telecommunications sector works closely with government agencies, banks, law enforcement, digital platforms and cyber security specialists to improve scam prevention, detection and response.
The TCF is a member of the New Zealand Anti-Scam Alliance and plays an active role in supporting coordinated scam disruption and intelligence-sharing activities. The Alliance brings together organisations across multiple sectors with a shared goal of reducing scam harm and improving outcomes for New Zealanders.
By sharing information and coordinating responses, organisations can often identify emerging threats faster and take more effective action against scam operations.
Industry codes and commitments
Scam Prevention Code
The TCF Scam Prevention Code supports cooperation between telecommunications providers to help identify and respond to scam activity. Established in 2018 and expanded in 2022 to include scam text messaging, the Code provides a framework for providers to share information and take coordinated action against scam calls and texts.
Consumer Scam Code
The Consumer Scam Code is a new code currently in development. It complements the existing Scam Prevention Code by making providers’ commitments more visible to consumers and creating clearer expectations around scam prevention, reporting, awareness and support.
The Code focuses on:
- Taking action to disrupt scam activity on telecommunications networks.
- Blocking suspicious scam calls and messages where possible.
- Sharing information with other organisations to improve scam prevention.
- Helping consumers understand how and where to report scams.
- Supporting public awareness and education initiatives.
Scam prevention initiatives
Scam Prevention Working Group
The TCF Scam Prevention Working Group brings telecommunications providers together to monitor scam trends, share intelligence and coordinate industry responses to emerging threats. The group also engages with key stakeholders across government and other sectors to support broader scam prevention efforts.
SMS filtering and blocking
Telecommunications providers continue to invest in technologies that identify and block scam and spam text messages before they reach consumers. Advanced SMS firewalls help reduce the volume of fraudulent messages circulating across networks.
Mobile number porting protections
New Zealand mobile providers have introduced additional security measures, including two-factor authentication for number porting requests, helping reduce the risk of SIM swap fraud and account takeover.
Domain disruption
Telecommunications providers work with cyber intelligence partners to identify malicious websites and scam-related domains. This helps prevent consumers from accessing known harmful sites and supports faster disruption of scam infrastructure.
IMEI Lookup Service
The TCF provides a free IMEI Lookup Service that allows consumers buying a second-hand mobile phone to check whether a handset has been reported stolen and blocked. This helps reduce the resale of stolen devices and supports safer purchasing decisions.
Digital Child Exploitation Filtering System
Telecommunications providers also support wider online safety efforts through systems designed to prevent access to websites known to host child sexual abuse material. This initiative is managed by the Department of Internal Affairs.
Learn more
Want to learn more about scams and online safety?
- Common Types of Scams – Learn about common scam tactics and how they work.
- Protect Yourself From Scams – Practical steps to help protect yourself online.
- Report a Scam – Information on where and how to report scam activity.
- Get Help and Support – Support options if you have been affected by a scam.