Scams stories

AI-fuelled scams help push illicit finance to an estimated USD $4.4 trillion in 2025, with fraud losses hitting USD $579.4 billion.

Scammers hijack Israel-Iran war headlines for classic advance-fee email cons, security researchers warn, urging users not to respond.

Avast rolls out Deepfake Guard for Windows and expands Scam Guardian on mobile, promising real-time protection from AI-powered scams.

Nearly half of New Zealand's online daters would consider dating an AI, as loneliness and mistrust reshape how Kiwis seek romance online.

OpenText warns 2026 will bring an AI‑driven identity crisis, deepfake-fuelled scams and decision overload that many firms are not ready for.

SAS predicts agentic AI will run core banking by 2026, reshaping trust, fraud defences, climate risk and quantum-powered decision making.

Banks are set to embed AI deep into payment systems by 2026, slashing costs as fraud surges and pressure mounts on platforms and regulators.

Neighbourly has been taken offline while Stuff and external experts probe claims of a data breach affecting the community website's users.

Cyber Monday shoppers face scams and cyber threats; follow 10 expert tips to safely secure your data and enjoy the season's best online deals.

Over half of Black Friday-themed spam emails are scams, with fraudsters impersonating brands like Amazon to steal personal data worldwide.

Scam rates have doubled globally, with young adults aged 18-34 twice as likely as seniors to fall victim to rising digital deception, says F-Secure.

Bitdefender reports a 63% rise in malicious Halloween spam, with scams posing as festive giveaways and retail offers to steal data or spread malware.

Global scam attempts have surged 65% over the past year, with smishing rising tenfold as banks worldwide battle increasing fraud risks.

A New Zealand AI tool, CheckMyBuilder, helps homeowners and businesses spot risks with builders for NZD $49, using public records to flag issues before contracts.

RCS offers Australian businesses a secure, interactive way to boost customer engagement and trust, tackling data privacy concerns amid rising scams.

Norton has enhanced its Small Business service with Dark Web and Social Media Monitoring to help firms counter rising cyber threats in 2025.

Australians lost over AUD $119 million to scams in early 2025, highlighting the urgent need for collective action from individuals, businesses and government.

Cybercriminals exploit AI website builder Lovable to swiftly create phishing and scam sites, lowering barriers for digital crime, warns cybersecurity firm Proofpoint.

Task scams have cost jobseekers millions, with Trend Micro warning of a surge in frauds using fake jobs to trick victims into losing thousands of dollars.

Visa launches a Security Roadmap in New Zealand to tackle rising AI-driven payment fraud, offering new tools and support for small businesses amid NZD $194m losses.