Jarrod Gilbert: Independent Research Solutions Director on the need for better security amid rising financial scams

A researcher's warning better security is urgently needed as New Zealanders become soft targets for scammers.  

Independent Research Solutions Director Jarrod Gilbert has found people earning more than $100 thousand are significantly more likely to become victims, with rates increasing 10% since 2018. 

He told Mike Hosking it's the country's most prominent crime, and we need to act as at the moment, we're slipping behind. 

Gilbert says if measures aren't put in place, Kiwis will become an even more significant target. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
We've got a scam study. It's not a scam study,
it's a new study on scams suggests we're becoming increasingly
soft targets. Recent Crime and Victims Survey estimates five hundred
and forty one thousand of US experience fra aud of
deception last year. How does that work? Independent Research Solutions
director Jared Gilberts with US Jared Morning, Good morning, Mike.

Speaker 2 (00:18):
You had a new job, but I'm still with the
University of Canterbury. But I've always had the company on
the side.

Speaker 1 (00:26):
Good on you, fair enough, So why see, if you
do the numbers, five hundred and forty one thousand over
a ten year period, that's everyone in the country. I
find I find that hard to believe, if not impossible.

Speaker 2 (00:36):
These numbers are astonishing and you can absolutely the numbers
that Crime and Victims Survey has got a rigorous methodology.
This is the most prominent crime in New Zealand. And
what's more, it's only going to get worse.

Speaker 1 (00:50):
Are we thick?

Speaker 2 (00:52):
We are slipping behind the eight ball? But here, Mike,
which is really concerning because a picture of this if
you were an international scammer, and they are almost universally offshore.
What you do, you don't care where that money comes from.
You're just looking for the softest target possible. So if
New Zealand's off New Zealand isn't putting things in place
to make this more difficult for them, then we will

(01:15):
become even a more significant target than we are now.
This is something that we really need to act on
an accurate urgency.

Speaker 1 (01:22):
Couldn't agree more. I got a text yesterday that said, Hi, Mom,
I've got a new WhatsApp address, can you see me?
So I deleted So I did the right thing.

Speaker 2 (01:29):
Yeah, that's exactly right. But the problem is if those
links I got that too. By the way, those links
can be blocked very very quickly. Boy, check companies, right,
they can be blocked. But what we need at the moment,
there's no way. There's so many places to report these
and people say, well there's no wrong or to report them. Well,

(01:51):
that means there's no right door. So we need to
bring government agencies all together in the same room visically,
plus private enterpro so the tech companies and the banks
to ensure that we can get on top of this
as quickly as possible.

Speaker 1 (02:05):
Well, let's hope we do, because I'm sort of sick
of talking about it. Not to you, Jerry, because you're
a nice guy, but you know, how many years have
we been talking about scanned for more from the Mic
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