Scammers pretending to be staff from Buller's Emergency Operations Centre are trying to deceive the public into giving them money.
Last weekend, some West Coast homes were evacuated and a state of emergency was declared in Buller as rising floodwaters threatened towns.
In the wake of the severe weather, the Buller Mayoral Relief Fund was opened for the public to donate to and help out communities. The Government has already contributed $300,000 to it.
But scammers are using this fund to target the public in a bid to swindle cash from New Zealanders.
"Unfortunately we have received word that scammers pretending to be staff from the EOC (Emergency Operations Centre) are asking the public via email to provide cash to support the response," Buller Emergency Management said on Facebook.
"Do not reply to these emails or supply any information to these requests. Instead please report to Netsafe and delete the email."
The only legitimate way to donate money to the fund is through an official bank account.
Netsafe says there are some tell-tale signs you might be being scammed, such as:
- contact that is out of the blue, even if the person says they're from a legitimate organisation like the bank, an embassy, or your internet provider
- getting told there's a problem with your phone, laptop, or internet connections
- being asked for passwords - something legitimate organisations will never ask for
- needing to verify your account or details
- trying to get you to move outside of an online trading or booking website or app - don't pay outside of the normal website or app processes
- offering money or a prize in exchange for something upfront
- being asked for money by friends/partners you've met online
- unusual ways to pay for something - scammers try to use payments that can't be traced such as pre-loaded debit cards, gift cards, bitcoins, iTunes cards, or money transfer systems
- asking for remote access to your device
- pressuring you to make a decision quickly.
"If the person contacting you has said that they are from a legitimate organisation and you're not sure if it's genuine, you can also contact that organisation to check. Make sure that you use the phone number or email they have on their official website or in the phone book - and do not use the one given by the person or in the email they have sent you," Netsafe says on their website.
