Home / Commons / Session kits / Information you can trust / Handout: New Zealand

Voice · Handout

Information you can trust: New Zealand.

A take-home sheet for people at the session. Other countries: United States · United Kingdom · Canada · Australia · India · Philippines.

Moraph for Good · Voice

Information you can trust: New Zealand

Handout · moraph.org/commons/sessions/voice/information-you-can-trust

Most of what you need to know about local services and voting comes from official sources you can check yourself. This sheet covers simple habits for checking claims and spotting messages that only pretend to be official.

Go to the source

  • Read agendas, minutes, budgets and notices before relying on a summary.
  • Type the official web address yourself, or search the main government portal.
  • For voting, use only your official election office.

Check the claim

  • Open a new tab and look up who is behind it.
  • Find the original notice or document.
  • Check the date: is it old news shared as new?
  • If you can’t check it, don’t share it.

Spot a scam

  • Watch for urgency, threats and unexpected contact.
  • Be wary of requests for personal or bank details, or payment by gift card or cryptocurrency.
  • Don’t click links or call numbers in the message. Find the agency’s contact details yourself.

If it happens

  • Stop replying, and contact your bank if you shared bank details.
  • Report it using the official routes on the back of this sheet.

In New Zealand

  • What scams look like. Scams are tricks to steal your money or personal information, and often start with unexpected contact by phone, text, email, social media or in person. Scam texts often pretend to be from real organisations, sound urgent and try to get you to click a link or share personal or banking details.
  • Quick checks. Own Your Online, from the National Cyber Security Centre, has a scam check tool. Warning signs include a sender you don’t recognise, being asked to act urgently, such as making a payment or confirming account details, and a link to click.
  • Report it. Scams can be reported to the National Cyber Security Centre, online or by phone. When you report, you get advice for your situation, and if another agency is better placed to help, the NCSC can refer you, with your consent.
  • Other places to report. If you lost money in a scam, contact NZ Police on 105. Report investment scams to the Financial Markets Authority, and spam texts or emails to the Department of Internal Affairs.

Official places to check:

  • Govt.nz: www.govt.nz/browse/law-crime-and-justice/scams
  • National Cyber Security Centre (Own Your Online): www.ownyouronline.govt.nz/personal/scam-check/text
  • National Cyber Security Centre: www.ncsc.govt.nz/report
  • Department of Internal Affairs: www.dia.govt.nz/Spam-Report-Spam

More free official help in New Zealand: moraph.org/commons/help/civic-engagement/nz

General information, not advice about your own situation. Checked 20 October 2026. If an official source says something different, it is right. Free to copy and adapt. moraph.org/commons/sessions/voice/information-you-can-trust