Customs duty scam

New Zealanders are currently being targeted by opportunistic scammers sending emails and text messages that impersonate New Zealand Customs.

If you receive an email or text message like the one shown below, please do not respond to it. The message implies:

"Customs duty is still pending. Please solve the problem or we will send your parcel back to the sender address." 

The message also provides a link which takes the receiver through a multi-step process to pay a small customs fee to release the package. Unfortunately some people who have paid this have then noticed large unauthorised withdrawals being made from their bank accounts.

New Zealand Customs do not contact individuals or businesses about paying customs duty. Imported goods are not physically received by Customs, but at warehouses run by licensed freight forwarders, known as Customs-controlled Areas (CCA's).

If you receive a text, please report it to the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) by forwarding it to 7726, then delete the scam text message.