This Valentine’s Day, ANZ Bank New Zealand (ANZ) has specially created ‘Scammers Blooms’ to serve as a pungent reminder that, when it comes to love, things might not be as they seem. What might appear beautiful on the surface could be rotten underneath - much like a romance scam.
The one-day-only ‘Love Stinks’ pop-up flower shop in Ponsonby Central, is giving away flowers with an unexpectedly unpleasant fishy scent; designed to leave an unforgettable impression and to shine a light on romance scams.
In the past year alone, Payments NZ reported an overall loss from New Zealanders of $194.2 million due to romance and relationship scams and fraud[1]. A serious issue in New Zealand, ANZ sees around three cases of customer loss a week from romance or friendship scams. But the real figure is likely higher.
“Romance scams do not discriminate. They impact all age groups and genders, and often victims are too embarrassed to come forward. At ANZ, we wanted to break down the barriers and encourage Kiwis to talk more openly about this insidious crime — how easy it is to be duped. It’s important we raise awareness around what to look out for and what to do,” says Alan Thomsen, ANZ’s Head of Customer Protection.
Visitors to the Love Stinks shop will learn how to spot the red flags of romance scams early. A creative Valentine’s Day card delivers practical tips on safeguarding themselves and their loved ones from fraudsters who prey on trust and vulnerability. Just as a bad smell lingers, the impact of falling for a romance scam can have lasting consequences.
These scams typically start on social media or dating apps, where fraudsters craft fake relationships, manipulate emotions, and ultimately convince victims to send money. A key challenge is that victims are often manipulated into trusting the scammer completely, making it difficult for family members and banks to detect the fraud early on.
New data from ANZ reveals the extent of romance scams in New Zealand:
- Over 95% of romance scams begin online, often on social media platforms.
- Scammers don’t discriminate, targeting Kiwis of all ages.
- Victims are evenly split between men and women.
- ANZ sees around three cases a week where customers have suffered financial loss from a romance or friendship scam.
- Data collected by Payments NZ, an industry organisation, shows more than $ 194.2 million was lost in scams and fraud between October 1, 2023, and September 30, 2024, across 11 banks.
- For romance and relationship scams the average customer loss is around $13,500 compared to $2,500 for other types of financial scams.
“Romance scams can be hard to spot, and fraudsters are calculated and use psychological tactics to build trust before striking,” says Alan Thomsen, ANZ’s Head of Customer Protection. “The ‘Love Stinks’ pop-up is a way to hijack people’s attention on a day about love and spark important conversations about how Kiwis can identify and protect themselves from these scams.”
ANZ urges Kiwis to recognise the tell-tale signs of a romance or friendship scam:
- Emotional manipulation: Fraudsters often declare love quickly, creating a false sense of trust while isolating victims from friends, family, and even their bank.
- Avoiding in-person meetings: Romance scammers make excuses to avoid meeting face-to-face or video chatting.
- Requests for money: Scammers fabricate emergencies or personal crises to convince victims to send funds. Never send money to someone you haven’t met in person.
Doing these things can help protect you from romance or friendship scams:
- Keep personal information and photos private to avoid extortion.
- Do your research — use reverse image searches to identify copied or manipulated pictures or check for recently opened social media profiles.
- Use Confirmation of Payee to check the name of who you intend to pay paying matches the account name.
“This Valentine’s Day, ANZ’s looking to help protect more Kiwis from heartbreak and financial loss,” says Thomsen.
To learn more about romance scams and how to protect yourself, visit ANZ’s scam safety page: https://www.anz.co.nz/banking-with-anz/banking-safely/recognise-scams-fraud/types-scams/romance-scam/
