ANZ Premier Wealth Scam: Fake Bond Emails Target Investors

• Investment Scam
• Banking Fraud
• ANZ Scam Alert

Scammers are impersonating ANZ Premier Wealth with fake Kiwi bond offers. Learn how to spot the scam and protect your money.

ANZ NZ Issues Alert Over Sophisticated Investment Scam

ANZ New Zealand is warning customers about a new investment scam that falsely claims to be from ANZ Premier Wealth. The scam involves professional-looking emails offering fraudulent “treasury and corporate Kiwi bonds” that supposedly come with government-backed protection.

How the Scam Works

The fraudulent emails impersonate ANZ staff and feature legitimate branding, including ANZ’s name, logo, physical address, and registration details. They even misuse the names and logos of trusted organisations like The Reserve Bank and The Treasury to appear authentic. These emails invite recipients to respond via a fake ANZ email or call a fake number to begin an application process.

To bolster the deception, the emails incorrectly claim that the bonds are protected under the upcoming Deposit Compensation Scheme (DCS)—a real initiative launching on July 1, 2025—but incorrectly referred to as the “Depositor Compensation Scheme.”

What You Should Know About the Deposit Compensation Scheme

The DCS will offer eligible customers coverage up to $100,000 per institution if their bank or deposit taker fails. However, the scheme does not cover investment products like:

• KiwiSaver
• Foreign currency accounts
• Bonds or other tradeable financial instruments

Any offer that suggests these are covered under the DCS is a red flag.

Red Flags of Investment Scams

• You receive an unexpected email, call or message offering a high-yield investment.
• The opportunity promises fast, high or ‘low-risk’ returns.
• There’s pressure to act quickly—“before the offer closes.”
• The contact details or websites are not listed on official ANZ or regulatory pages.
• You’re asked for money upfront or to ‘recover’ past losses.

How to Stay Safe

• Delete the email: Do not reply or call the number provided in the message.
• Verify independently: Only contact ANZ through the official number: 0800 269 296 or +64 4 470 3142 if overseas.
• Check regulator sites: Use resources like New Zealand’s FMA or Companies Office to confirm the legitimacy of investment providers.
• Seek financial advice: Always consult a licensed advisor before committing money to investments.

What to Do If You’ve Been Targeted

If you suspect you’ve received a scam message or may have already responded, contact ANZ immediately on 0800 269 296. Early reporting can help stop fraud before more damage is done.

Stay Vigilant

With scams becoming more sophisticated and using real financial developments like the DCS to appear credible, it's essential to verify everything independently. Never rush into investments, no matter how professional or urgent the offer seems.

Always remember: If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.