Back
26 November 2024

Fake bond and deposit product offers mis-using name of well-known firms and banks

We have received reports about investors receiving telephone calls and emails from persons who purport to be from well-known investment firms, offering fake bonds and deposit products.

We have seen similar scams in the past involving the misuse of the names of well-known investment firms to offer fake bonds and other fixed term deposit products, as well as the impersonation of banks in New Zealand and overseas.

Please see our past warnings about these scams:

How the scam works

  1. The victim sees an advertisement or visits a fake comparison website, where they are prompted to enter their contact details. We’ve also received reports that a victim was targeted after their contact and login details were exposed following a data breach. 

  2. The victim receives a call or email from someone claiming to be an investment adviser from a well-known firm.  

  3. The ‘investment adviser’ will speak to the victim about an investment opportunity, usually with a well-known New Zealand bank or investment firm. The adviser may provide detailed but fraudulent investment documentation to the victim while attempting to persuade them to invest.

  4. Once the victim makes their investment, the scammer ceases contact, and the funds are lost.

  5. Website redirection service may also be used to redirect people to the official website of an organization to mislead people into thinking that the scam website is legitimate.

How to protect yourself from this scam

Beware of entities who claim to be based in New Zealand but ask you to make payments to overseas bank accounts.

Be cautious with providing your personal details to unfamiliar websites.

If an offer uses the name or logo of a well-known bank or investment firm, independently verify its legitimacy by contacting the organisation directly using publicly available contact details. Do not rely on contact information or websites provided as part of the offer.

Be cautious of offers that create urgency through language such as “expires soon” or “last chance today”. Scammers commonly use this tactic to pressure individuals into acting quickly.

Speak with someone you trust, such as a friend, family member, or adviser. Seeking a second opinion can help identify potential warning signs. 

Scammers might tell you that an FMA warning is incorrect, out of date, or about someone else. We publish these warnings to protect the public because we have serious concerns about the firms, websites or individuals involved. If you’re unsure about anything, please get in touch with us.

Entity Name 

Website 

Email address 

Phone Number 

Date added to warning 

Additional information 

Comparetermdepositsnz.com

comparetermdepositsnz.com 

-

-

26 November 2024

- 

Cambridge Partners Limited (Imposter)

cambridgepartners.co 

[email protected] 

-

07 May 2026 

The genuine website is cambridgepartners.co.nz 

The genuine email address is [email protected]