NZ police release audio of scammer calling the cops & immediately regretting it

There's a good chance most of us know someone who has fallen victim to a phone scam, but you'd think the scammers would at least avoid calling the cops.

New Zealand Police have shared a hilarious video showing the moment a scammer accidentally rang a police communications centre while pretending to be from Spark.

In the clip, a North Comms officer named Dan answers the phone to a man claiming there's a problem with his internet connection.

“You need to know your internet is not running on a secure line, okay?” the caller says.

Dan's response is pure gold: “Well, you've called the New Zealand Police, so I'd be very surprised if our internet wasn't secure.”

After suddenly becoming lost for words, the scammer checks he's actually speaking to the police before awkwardly apologising and hanging up.

"That awkward moment when you realise you've tried to scam the police," NZ Police joked in the Facebook post.

Police say the caller had nothing to do with Spark and urged Kiwis to stay vigilant to protect themselves from potential scam attempts.

Their advice is:

• A genuine bank or organisation will never contact you to ask for your PIN, password or to move money to another account.

• Never click on a link in an unexpected email or text - you could be giving access to your personal and financial details.

• Always question uninvited approaches in case it is a scam. Instead, contact the company directly using a known email or phone number.

• Don’t assume an email or phone call is authentic – just because someone knows your basic details (name and address, or mother’s maiden name), it doesn’t mean they are genuine.

• Don’t be rushed into making a decision or financial transaction on the spot - a genuine bank or trusted organisation would never do this.

• Listen to your instincts - if something feels wrong, then it generally is.

"If you're ever unsure whether a call is legit, simply hang up and contact the company directly using an official phone number or website," they added.

"And if you think you've been targeted by a scam, contact your bank immediately and report it to Police."

I reckon it’s safe to say this scammer won’t be ringing that number again!