Cyber Security Fundamentals, Education

Cyber Safety Basics for New Zealand Families and Community Groups

Most online harm in New Zealand does not start with clever hacking. It starts with a convincing text, a phone call that sounds urgent, or a password that was reused on a site that was breached years ago. The good news is that a handful of simple habits stop most of it. This guide sets out those habits for families, older relatives, volunteers and the community groups we work with, and where to get help if something goes wrong.

Spot the common scams

Scammers change their stories, but the patterns stay the same. Watch for:

  • Parcel and toll texts asking you to pay a small fee or update your details through a link.
  • Bank or IRD impersonation, where a caller or message says your account is at risk or a refund is waiting and asks you to log in, read out a code or move money.
  • Investment and romance scams that build trust over weeks before asking for money, often in cryptocurrency.
  • AI voice and video scams, where a cloned voice of a family member calls in distress and asks for money urgently.

The warning signs are almost always there: pressure to act now, a request to keep it secret, a link in a text, or a request to pay by gift card, cryptocurrency or a new bank account. If you notice any of them, stop and check through a phone number or website you already know.

Five habits that stop most attacks

  1. Use a different passphrase for every important account. Three or four random words are easier to remember and harder to guess than a short complex password. A password manager can remember them for you.
  2. Turn on two-step verification for email, banking and social media. An authenticator app or a security key is safer than a text message code.
  3. Keep devices and apps updated. Turn on automatic updates on phones, tablets and computers. Most attacks use weaknesses that already have a fix.
  4. Back up what you cannot replace. Keep copies of photos and important documents in a cloud service and on an external drive.
  5. Go to the website yourself. Instead of clicking a link in a message, type the address or use the official app.

Agree a family safe word

Voice cloning tools can copy someone’s voice from a short clip online. Agree a safe word or question with your family that only you know. If someone calls asking for urgent help, ask for it. A real family member will know it; a scammer will not.

For community groups and small charities

Community organisations hold personal information about members, volunteers and donors, and they are targeted like any business. A few steps make a big difference:

  • Turn on two-step verification for shared email, banking and social media accounts, and remove access promptly when a volunteer or trustee leaves.
  • Check any request to change bank account details by phoning the person on a number you already have, not one in the email.
  • Keep only the personal information you need, and store it in one place with access limited to the people who need it.
  • Know your obligations. Under the Privacy Act 2020, if a privacy breach has caused or is likely to cause serious harm, you must notify the Privacy Commissioner and the affected people as soon as practicable.

If something goes wrong

Act quickly and do not be embarrassed. Scams fool careful, intelligent people every day.

  • If you have lost money or shared banking details, call your bank straight away using the number on your card.
  • Report cyber incidents to the National Cyber Security Centre at ncsc.govt.nz or on 0800 114 115.
  • Get help with scams and online harm from Netsafe on 0508 638 723.
  • Forward scam text messages free to 7726, the Department of Internal Affairs scam reporting service.
  • Find practical advice for individuals and small businesses at Own Your Online.

Learn with CharityNZ

Our technology training and workshops for adults cover staying safe online alongside everyday digital skills. If your community group would like a session, please get in touch.

Our technology and cyber safety programs are supported by Security Solution Consultants. For businesses that want to understand how criminals are now using AI, their guide to AI cyber attacks and how New Zealand businesses can defend against them is a useful next step.