New Zealand Launches National Anti-Scam Alliance to Fight Online Fraud

In a determined effort to combat the growing scourge of online financial fraud, the New Zealand Government has announced the launch of a powerful new initiative — the New Zealand Anti-Scam Alliance. Spearheaded by Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Scott Simpson, the Alliance brings together key players across government, industry, and the community to address what is increasingly seen as a major economic and personal threat to New Zealanders.

A Coordinated National Response to a $2 Billion Problem

“It is unacceptable that so many Kiwis are swindled by scammers every day,” said Minister Simpson. With financial scams estimated to cost the New Zealand economy up to $2 billion annually, the scale of the issue has sparked alarm among both policymakers and the public.

Until now, the country’s response to online scams has been fragmented. Different government departments, banks, telecom providers, digital platforms, and consumer organizations have often worked in silos, making it difficult to quickly identify and neutralize scam operations. The lack of real-time coordination has left many victims exposed to losses and undermined public confidence in digital systems.

The newly announced Anti-Scam Alliance aims to change that.

Real-Time Scam Disruption and Data Sharing

At the heart of the Alliance’s strategy is a new model of real-time collaboration. For the first time, entities such as banks, telecommunications companies, social media and tech platforms, law enforcement, and consumer advocacy groups will operate under a shared framework to rapidly detect, share, and act on scam intelligence.

“The Alliance addresses this by establishing a formal structure for government agencies, banks, telecommunications companies, digital platform sectors, and consumer groups to share data about scams and shut them down in real-time,” Simpson explained.

This represents a significant upgrade from the previous piecemeal approach and is expected to increase the speed and effectiveness of scam prevention and disruption.

Strengthening Consumer Protections and Awareness

Beyond rapid response, the Alliance also has a broad mandate to modernize industry standards and improve consumer safeguards. As part of the initiative, members have agreed to:

• Update industry codes to reflect modern scam tactics and enforcement needs

• Enhance legal protections for consumers against emerging threats

• Launch a national public awareness campaign to educate people on how to detect and avoid scams

This holistic approach acknowledges that while enforcement and disruption are critical, prevention through education is equally important.

Legislative Support and Future Measures

Recognizing that legal barriers have hampered anti-scam collaboration in the past, the Government is considering amendments to the Fair Trading Act. These changes would provide legal protections for companies and agencies sharing scam-related intelligence, ensuring that privacy and competition laws do not stand in the way of vital coordination.

“We need to give industry and government the confidence to collaborate without fear of breaching legal constraints,” Simpson noted.

Looking Ahead: A Multi-Layered Strategy

While the Anti-Scam Alliance marks a significant milestone, Minister Simpson acknowledged that no single initiative can completely eliminate scams. He described the Alliance as the "first in a series of actions" the government will pursue to bolster national resilience against fraud.

“There is no silver bullet to address scams,” he said, “but by working together across sectors to disrupt scams, we can significantly shift the dial.”

The move has been welcomed by financial institutions, consumer watchdogs, and cybersecurity experts, who view it as a critical step toward building a safer digital environment for New Zealanders.

As the Alliance begins its work, Kiwis are urged to remain vigilant, report suspected scams, and take advantage of new resources that will be made available to support scam prevention.