Resources: Online Safety & Scam Awareness

Prevention, not fear. Plain English, practical advice.

About These Resources

This section is about prevention, not fear. Plain English, practical advice, and NZ-relevant examples.

Technology should make life easier — not riskier. These guides aim to help you stay safe online without becoming paranoid about it.

Common Online Scams in New Zealand

Overview

Online scams are becoming more convincing and more targeted. Small businesses and individuals are often the easiest targets — not because they're careless, but because they're busy.

Common NZ scams include:

Fake courier delivery texts
Invoice redirection scams
Email phishing pretending to be banks or government agencies
Fake social media messages asking for urgent help or payment

Practical tips

Don't click links in unexpected messages
Check sender addresses carefully
Verify payment changes by phone
If something feels rushed or urgent, pause

If you're unsure, it's usually worth getting a second opinion before acting.

Passwords, MFA, and Why They Matter

Why this matters

Many breaches don't involve hacking — they involve reused or weak passwords.

Best practices

Use a password manager
Unique passwords for important services
Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) wherever possible
Avoid sharing logins between staff

A few small changes can dramatically reduce risk.

Keeping a Small Business Website Safe

Basic website security doesn't need to be complicated.

Key areas:

Regular updates
Backups (and tested restores)
Secure hosting
Limited admin access

If you're not sure what state your site is in, a quick review can often identify problems before they become incidents.

What To Do If You've Been Scammed or Hacked

First steps

1
Stop further access (change passwords, lock accounts)
2
Contact your bank if money is involved
3
Report scams to Netsafe NZ
4
Preserve evidence (emails, messages)

Early action can limit damage.

Need Help with Website Security?

If you're concerned about your website's security or want a quick review, I can help assess what you have and suggest improvements.

For more business-focused information, see our guides on website costs in New Zealand, choosing between WordPress and custom development, or what to ask when hiring a web developer.

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