Advisers’ vigilance against cyber criminals critical over summer break
Advisers are being warned about cyber criminals ramping up activity over the holidays.
Thursday, December 18th 2025, 6:43AM
by Sally Lindsay
NZ Financial Services Group (NZFSG) is urging its 1,000 advisers to exercise high alert for sophisticated, seasonal scams.
The warning, comes from principal security consultant Laura Bennett, drawing on emerging domestic and international threat intelligence as well as a cyber security snapshot from NZFSG’s own advisers.
“This time is frequently exploited by hackers and scammers who capitalise on year-end deadlines, workloads and priorities,” Bennett says.
Seasonal scams to watch out for:
While adviser businesses and teams must maintain vigilance, the warning is also for clients because seasonal scams are designed to commonly target the general public. Be vigilant against:
Smishing (SMS Phishing): Be cautious of unsolicited text messages claiming "missed delivery" that link to malicious sites.
E-Card phishing: Only open digital holiday e-cards from known and trusted senders, as they can conceal malicious links.
Invoice and receipt fraud: Scammers send fake receipts for high-value purchases, aiming to alarm the recipient into calling a fraudulent "support" number.
General phishing via email: Be alert for suspicious emails offering promotions or urgent updates and always check the sender's email address for irregularities.
A recent NZFSG security poll highlighted critical gaps in the sector’s ability to respond effectively.
"Our survey confirmed that while businesses recognise the growing threat – with cyber concerns ranking second only to the state of the economy – many face significant obstacles like time, budget constraints, and lack of knowledge when taking action," Bennett says.
More than half (53%) of New Zealand SMEs taking part in a recent National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) survey have faced a cyber threat in the past six months underscoring the universal risk. The financial sector remains a high-target industry.
Recent threat data from New Zealand and Australia found no organisation too small. The NCSC deals with about one national-level incident daily, some affecting smaller organisations who mistakenly assume they are not targets.
Cyber criminals are leveraging AI to create highly personalised, flawless phishing emails (spear-phishing), increasing the risk of successful scams and across the Tasman almost three-quarters of Australian mortgage brokers surveyed were impacted by scams or fraud in the past 12 months.
NZFSG says while substantial progress has made by advisers in boosting their cyber awareness and adopting enhanced security practices, it is committed to helping them understand the risks and barriers to proactively strengthen their business’s resilience.
This support includes regular training sessions and webinars, featuring guests like the National Cyber Security Centre and CyberCX, with more industry specialists planned for 2026.
Advisers are also encouraged to use the free Own Your Online Business Security Assessment Tool to generate a customised, five to 10-minute action plan to improve their cyber resilience.
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