Older Kiwis get new skills to fight back against scammers during this year’s Cyber Smart Week
A new initiative led by Google in partnership with Minister Scott Simpson and the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE), and with support from the National Cyber Security Centre New Zealand (NCSC), is arming older New Zealanders with new tips and tools to protect themselves from online scams and improve their digital literacy.
Hosted at Malvina Major Retirement Village this week, the session teaches critical skills to spot and avoid increasingly sophisticated scams.
The initiative, named Project BRIDGE (Building Resilience, Inclusion and Digital Growth for Elders), directly addresses a worrying trend by providing scams awareness and digital literacy training. In Q2 2025, almost half of the cyber security incidents reported by individuals were ‘scams and fraud’, with those aged 55+ accounting for over one third of reports. [source]
Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Scott Simpson said Google’s partnership would help communities stay safe online. “In July, the Government launched New Zealand’s first-ever Anti-Scam Alliance, a cross-sector initiative to strengthen the country’s response to scams. Today’s work with Google builds on that momentum.
“There’s no single fix for scams, but when government, industry, and communities work together, we can disrupt scammers and reduce the risks for New Zealanders.” finished Minister Scott Simpson.
This Cyber Smart Week the NCSC is encouraging New Zealanders to take simple, but effective steps to protect themselves. NCSC’s Director Mission Enablement, Mike Jagusch said, “Scams and fraud continue to be the most reported incident by individuals. As we are living more of our lives online, we all have a digital footprint that could be exposed to scammers.
“We’ve created an online tool - www.howexposedami.co.nz - that shows New Zealanders what personal information of theirs might be exposed to scammers. This information could be used to access your account if they have a password, or to craft more personalised and believable scams. The good news is that there are simple steps people can take to better protect themselves,” said Mike Jagusch.
Malvina Major Retirement Village Chair of the RC, David Marshall said, “Ryman Healthcare and Malvina Major Village in Wellington are delighted to be chosen to launch the BRIDGE programme for scam awareness and prevention. The residents of MM are aware that they are a vulnerable age group for scamming and are grateful for training to avoid this problem.”
“We were delighted to host Minister Simpson, Google and the National Cyber Security Centre at Malvina Major Village for the Scams Awareness Training session they led as part of Project BRIDGE,” said Ryman Healthcare CEO Naomi James. “Helping residents to feel confident and secure online is an important part of our commitment to support their wellbeing and independence. Initiatives like this make a real difference, and it was wonderful to hear how much residents enjoyed the session and valued the practical advice.”
The session equipped attendees with practical skills, including how to:
- Spot a scam: Recognise common tactics used across phone, email, and online platforms.
- Develop 'scam sense': Build an instinct for warning signs and suspicious behaviour.
- Improve digital security: Get practical tips to improve your online safety.
- Take action: Know how to react if you suspect a scam and where to report it.
Top tips for protecting yourself from scammers include:
Always take a moment before giving your money or personal information to anyone. Scammers will create a sense of urgency to pressure you into acting quickly. Don’t rush to make decisions about money or sharing personal details.
What to do:
- Say no, hang up, or delete suspicious messages
- Take time to think before responding to unexpected requests
- Don’t let anyone pressure you into immediate action
- Trust your instincts if something feels wrong
Make sure you check if the person or organisation you’re dealing with is real. Scammers pretend to be from organisations you know and trust. Always verify who you’re really dealing with before taking any action.
What to do:
- Contact the organisation directly using phone numbers or email addresses you find on their official website or app
- Get a second opinion from family, friends, or professionals.
Act quickly to protect yourself if something feels wrong. The sooner you act, the better you can protect yourself and others from scammers.
What to do:
- Contact your bank immediately if you think you’ve lost money or shared financial details
- For cyber incidents these can be reported to NCSC at NCSC.govt.nz/report
- SMS scam messages can be forwarded to DIA 7726
- For where to report scams, or support for scam victims, visit Department of Internal Affairs
- For free and confidential scam support, Kiwis can also report to Netsafe
- Report to Police 105
- Change passwords and security details if you think they’ve been compromised
- Monitor your bank statements and credit reports for unusual activity
- Report the scam to the impersonated organisation and platform where the scam is happening
Scammers are using increasingly sophisticated methods to target innocent people. We all have a role to play in knowing how to spot a scam and staying one step ahead of scammers, and this program is a vital part of that effort.
