Seven ways to stay safer online

At Craigs we are acutely aware of the importance of cyber security and take our role as guardians of client data seriously.

As proud supporters of Cyber Smart Week, the National Cyber Security Centre’s annual awareness campaign, we encourage clients to take simple, practical steps to protect themselves online. While technology continues to evolve, so do the tactics used by cyber criminals, making it more important than ever to stay vigilant.

Craigs’ cyber security measures

We partner with specialist cyber security providers to ensure our policies, procedures, and prevention and detection mechanisms are up to date and effective. We also engage independent experts to review key systems and platforms against industry standards and best practice.

Cyber security is not a one-time exercise. It requires ongoing monitoring, continuous improvement and awareness across our organisation.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has transformed cyber scams

Cyber criminals are using AI to create more convincing scams, operate at greater scale and identify vulnerabilities quickly. They create realistic emails, websites and even use AI-generated voice or video content designed to appear legitimate.

Recent scams have impersonated well-known financial organisations, including Craigs, and used fake endorsements from politicians and well-known public figures such as Mark Lister.

While the methods may change, the goal remains the same: to create a sense of urgency and encourage people to act before they have time to think.

In 2025, New Zealanders lost $265 million to online financial scams.

And it’s not just financial loss – cyber security incidents are stressful and time consuming. Often, they result in the loss of personal information, which can further impact you, your friends, or people you work with if it falls into the hands of cyber criminals.

Protecting yourself online

The good news is that many cyber security incidents can be prevented or their impact significantly reduced through a few simple precautions.

Developing good cyber security habits can help protect your personal information, devices and finances.

Seven simple actions to improve your cyber resilience

1. Be cautious anytime money is exchanged. As Jacob Jensen, Craigs Cyber Security Engineer notes, “Craigs will never send an email instructing you to change your bank account details or notify you of any change to our bank details. Any email containing this kind of information is very likely to be from a fraudster.”
2. Only log in to accounts through official apps and websites. Don’t click login links or provide or confirm personal details in emails or text messages, especially from senders you don’t know.
3. Only make purchases from legitimate websites that use trusted and secure payment systems. Check the shop is legitimate by looking at consumer reviews and searching the company name with the word ‘scam’. Look for genuine contact details and be wary of prices that seem too good to be true. Check the website address carefully for typos or anything unusual, and go directly to the retailer’s website rather than through an online ad.
4. When it comes to passwords, a password manager is the best tool. Consumer NZ describes a password manager as a “virtual vault” containing all your passwords, based in the cloud or on your device. They work by generating a unique and complex password for each new site you log into; you only need to remember one master password. There are both free and paid versions available.
5. Install and run cyber security software, and keep software, browsers and apps up to date. The easiest way to do this is to approve automatic security updates.
6. Set social media accounts to private. Make sure this is the case with all family members and device users. Don’t share personal information online.
7. Keep up to date with cyber security advice and incidents. The media does a good job reporting scams and your adviser will alert you to any investment scams we become aware of.

If you are concerned about suspicious emails or think that your email or other personal information has been compromised, please contact your adviser, bank, or relevant information provider immediately.

Using these simple and effective actions will improve your cyber resilience and could prevent or reduce the impact of a cyber security incident.

Are you secure online?

The National Cyber Security Centre offers a free online security assessment that provides personalised recommendations to help improve your online security.

Taking a few minutes to review your cyber security habits today could help prevent significant inconvenience and financial loss in the future.

Helpful resources

Craigs Cyber Security

Own Your Online

National Cyber Security Centre

Consumer NZ

Netsafe

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