Detective Senior Sergeant Tim Leitch:

Wellington Criminal Investigations Branch (CIB) yesterday arrested a 26-year-old English national in relation to a string of fraud offences targeting the elderly and vulnerable.

In light of the offending, New Zealand Police have one key message: We will never ask you for money under any circumstances.

The offending is alleged to have taken place over the past 10 days across the wider Wellington district including Hutt Valley, Porirua, Otaki, and Wellington City.

Victims of this activity have been duped into handing over thousands of dollars to these scammers.

The scam starts with a cold call from a person claiming to be a police officer.

They tell the victim of dishonest activity taking place at banks and gold exchanges and request their help to ‘catch’ the ‘dishonest employee’ working at these places.

Believing they are helping catch a crook – victims are instructed to go to the bank or gold exchange to withdraw cash or purchase gold to assist the police in obtaining evidence against the employee.

To top it off, once the victim has taken out the cash or gold, a person posing as a courier working for Police uplifts it from their address.

Wellington Police have so far received complaints from at least 17 victims who have been contacted by this criminal group, many of them have subsequently handed over cash or gold.

The value of the currency handed over totalling several hundred thousand dollars between the victims.

A search of the 26-year-old’s accommodation uncovered large amounts of cash and gold, believed to be the proceeds of the fraudulent activity.

He is due to appear in the Wellington District Court today charged with eight charges of obtaining by deception, three for attempting to obtain by deception and one for resisting arrest.

Police believe this operation is coordinated and executed by offenders offshore who are directing the “couriers” on the ground in New Zealand to the addresses for pickups.

It is highly likely that this scam will continue to operate despite the arrest yesterday. People should be extremely vigilant and careful if they receive calls asking them to assist Police in the way described.

Police will never contact you and ask you to withdraw money, nor will they contact you seeking banking details, card numbers, PIN or password.

Older members of our community are being targeted and Police urge anyone with elderly or vulnerable relatives to make them aware of this scam activity.

If anyone has recently been the victim of this scam or received calls you think may be from these scammers, please phone Police on 105 and reference Operation Bourbon File 240731/0649.

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