New Zealand's Anti-Scam Alliance has introduced a new set of anti-fraud measures, expanding work across banks, telecommunications companies, and online platforms, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Cameron Brewer said.
The measures include a broader rollout of the banking sector's Confirmation of Payee system, which checks whether the name entered by a customer matches the destination account before a payment is made. The extension will cover fintech companies, other non-bank providers, and traditional banks.
The programme also includes the launch of the New Zealand Online Scams Code, backed by Google, Meta and TikTok. At the same time, the telecommunications sector is revising its industry code to block scam calls and text messages before they reach consumers.
The work sits alongside changes to the Fair Trading Act intended to let online service providers remove suspected scam content more quickly. Brewer said the broader effort reflects a cross-sector approach to a problem affecting both households and businesses.
"Scammers are relentless. They hit people through fake websites, dodgy texts, phone calls and social media ads, all to trick them into handing over their hard-earned money. The harm is financial, but it's also deeply personal," Brewer said.
The Anti-Scam Alliance was set up last year to bring together banks, telcos, digital platforms, government bodies and consumer groups. Its work programme is organised around four areas: collaboration, disruption, education and awareness, and voluntary codes.
Under that framework, the alliance aims to improve data sharing and intelligence across sectors, disrupt scam operations at scale, help people and businesses recognise fraud attempts, and encourage industries to adopt standards to prevent, detect, and respond to scams.
Brewer linked the latest measures to earlier work by alliance members. A pilot involving some of New Zealand's largest banks and telecommunications providers, alongside Trade Me, blocked more than 23,000 malicious domains over six months, avoiding an estimated NZD $23.8 million in fraud losses.
The result is one of the clearest indicators so far of the alliance's practical impact. It also underscores the government's argument that scam prevention depends on coordination among financial institutions, communications networks, online marketplaces, and digital advertising platforms.
"This is a cross-sector issue, so it takes a collaborative approach to make a difference. That's why we set up the Anti-Scam Alliance last year, bringing telcos, digital platforms, banks, government and consumer groups together to fight scams as one. Today the alliance has released a fresh set of actions to keep New Zealanders one step ahead of the crooks. Among them is an expansion of the banking sector's 'Confirmation of Payee' system, which lets customers check the name they're paying matches the account before any money leaves their hands," Brewer said.
Industry codes have become central to the model. They set out voluntary standards for sectors on the front line of scams, especially banking, telecommunications and online services, where fraud attempts often begin or where money ultimately moves.
The alliance's published vision is to better protect New Zealanders from scams through prevention, detection and disruption. Its stated outcomes include stronger coordination across sectors, more data-led intervention, better-informed consumers and broader protections across participating industries.
"The banking sector is extending that safety net to cover fintechs and other non-bank providers, so whoever you bank with, you can pay with confidence. The alliance is also rolling out the New Zealand Online Scams Code, backed by Google, Meta and TikTok, and the telco sector is sharpening its own code to stop scam calls and texts before they ever reach a Kiwi's phone," Brewer said.
Scam prevention has become a growing policy issue for governments and regulators as fraudsters shift between text messages, spoofed calls, social media adverts, fake websites and payment systems. New Zealand's approach emphasises voluntary coordination between sectors while also using changes in consumer law to speed intervention against suspicious content.
"This work complements changes to the Fair Trading Act so online service providers can move faster to pull down suspected scam content before people get burned. These actions build on real results. A cross-sector pilot involving some of New Zealand's biggest banks and telcos, alongside Trade Me, blocked more than 23,000 malicious domains in six months, saving Kiwis an estimated $23.8 million in fraud losses.
"There's no silver bullet for scams. But by joining forces across every sector, we can give New Zealanders the confidence to bank, shop and connect online without looking over their shoulder. This is all part of the government's plan to fix the basics, build the future and make New Zealand a far harder target for the scammers preying on hardworking Kiwis," Brewer said.