Helping teens be scam savvy

There’s often an assumption that scammers target older people, but young people can be just as vulnerable.  

Westpac NZ’s financial education team recently teamed up with Netsafe and NZ Police to pilot a collaborative approach in delivering sessions focused on fraud and scam education to teenagers.  

Teens from different Auckland high schools attended the sessions, which aimed to provide information on how to avoid scams as well as what to do if you do become a victim.  

Emma Heaps, Westpac NZ Programme Manager Financial Wellbeing, says educating community groups about fraud and scams is a key focus for Westpac’s Managing Your Money facilitators.  

“We’re seeing more and more requests for scam awareness sessions from different community groups,” Ms Heaps says. “We know education is a key part of keeping people safe and saw an opportunity to join forces with Netsafe and NZ Police to try and deepen our impact with young people.” 

Netsafe recently reported that sextortion threats – where people are blackmailed into sending nude or sexual images and videos – were up 68% in the first three months of 2025, compared with the October-December 2024 period.  

School students who are members of Netsafe’s Youth Action squad spoke to session attendees about the increase in sextortion. They talked about the support available for young people who do experience it as well as reminding attendees that talking to people about what they’re going through is important and they shouldn’t feel embarrassed.  

Netsafe CEO Brent Carey says Netsafe is witnessing a surge in sextortion cases targeting young people, and it’s not just a digital issue. 

“This is a personal crisis for every teen affected and the shame and silence these scams rely on must be broken,” Mr Carey says.  

“That’s why collaboration with schools, whānau, police and programmes like those run by Westpac’s Financial Wellbeing team are vital, to empower rangatahi with the knowledge, confidence and support to protect themselves and each other.” 

Westpac Managing Your Money facilitators spoke about job and investment scams as well as phishing (text and email scams), providing attendees with tips on being scam savvy in these areas. Westpac Financial Crime team members also touched on online shopping scams, such as Facebook Marketplace.  

Westpac’s own data indicates that between April 2024 and March 2025,16% of fraud and scam cases involving online sales were reported by customers aged 24 and under.   

Jessica Channing, Westpac NZ Financial Crime Intelligence Manager, says as young people have grown up online, they might not stop to question whether a deal’s too good to be true or whether to engage with people they don’t know in real life. 

“Being scammed is a horrible experience for everyone, but the impact on young people’s confidence levels can be particularly severe. We want to encourage all Kiwis to talk to the young people in their lives about how to avoid scams, and if they have been scammed, reassure them that it can happen to anyone.”    

NZ Police Community Officers were also involved in the sessions, again touching on the rise of sextortion and how to avoid it.  

Emma Heaps says the pilot sessions were well received by all the schools who took part.  

“We want to continue to work with Netsafe, NZ Police and other groups to educate communities throughout the country about scams and how to avoid them.”   

Schools interested in a Managing Your Money workshop can register their interest here.  

Westpac NZ tips to avoid Marketplace scams  

• If a deal seems too good to be true, it often is. Scammers will often use unrealistic pricing to create a false sense of urgency and make victims rush into a transaction (often a ‘deposit’ to secure the goods).  

• Take a moment to review the listing and the seller for red flags. Scammers will often use stock imagery, unrealistic pricing, newly set up profiles or multiple profiles or locations.  

• If in doubt, ask a friend or family member to give you a second opinion. Being removed from the transaction means that they can provide more objective advice.  

• If you find yourself the victim of an online scam, don’t delay in contacting your bank and New Zealand Police to report the incident.   

Westpac NZ tips to avoid sextortion  

• Avoid accepting ‘friend requests’ on social media from individuals you don’t know in real life  

• Remember, not everyone is who they say they are online. Be careful when sharing images, particularly outside of trusted relationships.  

• If threatened, cease all contact with the scammers. Save (or screenshot) the conversation and then block the profile. Don’t pay them or send any further images.  

• Report the incident to the authorities (i.e. NZ Police’s non-emergency line or Netsafe)  

• You can use a free service to help get your images or videos removed. Visit Take It Down or StopNCII for more information.