Job scams in NZ: how to spot fake job offers and what to do

The scams to know

Task or review scams: you are offered easy online work (liking videos, boosting products, 'optimising apps') and told to deposit money to 'unlock' tasks or buy products yourself, with a promise of repayment. You never get paid.
Fake recruiters or fake employer pages that harvest your ID, bank and IRD details.
Advance-fee scams: you are asked to pay for training, a uniform, equipment, a background check or a visa.
Money-mule scams: you are asked to receive payments into your account and forward them. This may be money laundering.
Fake cheque scams: you are sent a cheque for equipment and asked to send some back.
Visa and migration scams: fake job offers to migrants for a fee. Immigration NZ doesn't sell job offers.
Impersonation: scammers use the name of a real NZ company, with look-alike websites or email addresses.

Red flag	Why
They contact you first via WhatsApp, Telegram, text or social media	Real recruiters usually respond to applications or contact via email and LinkedIn with a verifiable profile
Pay is unusually high for simple work	Too good to be true
Pay in the ad is monthly, daily, after tax, or in USD	NZ ads typically state annual pay before tax, or hourly rate, with hours per week; scam ads often don't follow this format
Any upfront payment or 'deposit' (including crypto)	Legitimate employers don't charge you
They ask you to buy equipment, then be reimbursed	Classic fake-cheque or refund scam
Interview only by chat app, no video or call	No real company hires with no face-to-face contact
Requests for passport, bank details or IRD number before a signed offer	Identity theft risk. IRD and bank details are for payroll after you accept
Email from a free address (Gmail) or look-alike domain (company-nz.co)	Check the company's official website
Urgent pressure to decide	Scammers don't want you to check
Typos, vague role descriptions and no company address	Poor professionalism

Search the company name plus 'scam' and check it on the NZ Companies Office register (companiesoffice.govt.nz).
Find the company's official website yourself (don't click the link in the message) and ring the number listed there. Ask whether the job and the recruiter exist.
Look up the recruiter on LinkedIn: how long has the profile existed, and do they have genuine connections and history?
Check that the email domain matches the official website.
Never send ID, bank details or IRD numbers until you have a written offer and employment agreement from a verified employer.
Ask a friend, Work and Income, CAB or Netsafe if you're unsure.

Stop all contact and stop sending money.
Call your bank immediately (the number on the back of your card). Ask them to stop or recall payments and to monitor your accounts.
Change passwords and turn on two-factor authentication for email and banking.
If you gave out ID, contact IDCARE (free identity and cyber support, 0800 121 068, weekdays; check idcare.org for hours) and consider an identity alert with a credit-reporting agency.
Report it to Netsafe (netsafe.org.nz, 0508 638 723, free; office hours with a callback service), to the platform where you saw the ad, and to NZ Police (call 105 or report online at police.govt.nz, choosing the Fraud/Scam/Cyber option; call 111 if someone is in danger). Phishing and online scams can also be reported to the National Cyber Security Centre at ncsc.govt.nz/report. Scamwatch is an Australian service and is not for NZ reports.
Keep screenshots and messages.
If you're short of money after a scam, Work and Income may help with urgent costs; call 0800 559 009.

General information only. Confirm with the agency for your situation. Spotted something out of date? Email help@unemployed.nz.