Police are warning of a manipulative scam that several Kiwis have fallen victim to.
The scam is circulating via email, and includes a false claim that malware has been installed on the recipient's device.
The scam email says that the malware "has captured information about them including a password, along with potentially embarrassing footage," police explain.
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Anyone who receives the email is advised to report it to their local police as soon as possible.
The scam is similar to the one seen on Black Mirror episode 'Shut Up and Dance' - leading many social media users to wonder whether it has been inspired by the Netflix series.
The New York Times reports that the scam began circulating in mid-July, and in many cases scammers have been able to obtain the old passwords of the recipients.
In this particular version of the scam, the email asks for $2900 to keep the embarrassing footage it claims to have under wraps.
Scammers can get hold of the passwords after major data breaches from companies like Yahoo, eBay, and Sony Playstation. Often these passwords become available on the black market.
Most of the passwords the scammers have found are about a decade old, but for those who haven't changed their passwords in years the scam could be more convincing.
Consumer Protection New Zealand advises that if someone contacts you unexpectedly - whether over the phone, through the post, by email, on a website, in person or on social media - you should always consider the possibility that it may be a scam.
Newshub.
