The Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) has embarked on a restructure, which will see two of the agency’s Digital Safety teams folded into a single unit, with two managers losing their jobs in the process.
Initiated by DIA chief executive Paul James, the restructure will result in the Digital Messaging and Systems team sharing a manager with the Countering Violent Extremism one.
A spokesperson for the department, Jo Leavesley, explained the restructure is aimed at increasing efficiency and reducing costs, while supporting a more cohesive and sensible structure.
“As part of this change process our Digital Messaging and Violent Extremism functions will be brought together under one leader, resulting in the disestablishment of two manager positions and the creation of a new Manager, Digital Messaging and Violent Extremism, who will have 9 direct reports,” Leavesley said.
“This new larger team will continue to be a part of the Digital Safety group. There are also three other roles we are disestablishing and three new roles being created, to more accurately align positions with what is required,” she added.
DIA’s services to the public will not be impacted by the restructure. Leavesley said the DIA is confident that its core investigation and compliance activity will continue to be maintained.
“We remain committed to ensuring New Zealanders are kept safe online from harmful messaging,” Leavesley said.
The Digital Messaging and Systems team was established to enforce the Unsolicited Electronic Messages Act 2007. It is the department’s spam and scam fighting team, which works with the industry, police and international agencies to reduce deceptive, fraudulent digital communications, as well as computer viruses and malware.
It was led by former Counties Manukau police detective Joe Teo from May 2021.
Telco industry organisation wants more anti-scam staff
Paul Brislen, the chief executive of industry organisation the New Zealand Telecommunications Forum (TCF), expressed disappointment at the restructuring of DIA’s anti-scam team.
"The anti-scam work the DIA undertakes is vital to the unified anti-scam work we conduct,” Brislen said.
“We work closely with the team at DIA and I'd hoped the new government focus on anti-scam activity would have meant an increase in personnel rather than a reduction,” he added.
"There's a risk here that we lose the experience the DIA team leaders bring to the fight at a time when we're starting to make some serious inroads into the scam activity in New Zealand,” Brislen said.
DIA stemming some of flood of scams
The restructure follows what the department’s minister, Brooke van Velden, in June this year described as “significant progress” made in tackling scams in New Zealand.
By arresting scammers, conducting search warrants and seizing equipment in different operations such as “Cargo” and "Orca", the DIA team saw a massive drop in SMS scam reports by 62 per cent in 2024, compared to the year before.
“I’m pleased the Department’s work is making a real impact in reducing scams and holding perpetrators accountable,” Minister van Velden said earlier this month, acknowledging the financial and emotional harm the crime caused the community.
Lead anti-scams Minister Scott Simpson, who is in charge of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, also welcomed the success of the DIA, and highlighted the government’s increasing focus on keeping New Zealanders safer from scammers.
According to Simpson, digital scams caused reported losses of nearly $200 million a year, with some estimates suggesting the financial harm is as high as $2 billion a year.
Acting Minister of Internal Affairs, David Seymour, confirmed the restructure, saying it will see the Digital Messaging and Systems and Online Extremism teams share a manager, but no further reductions to full time employees or resources will be made.
“The restructure was initiated by the Department’s Chief Executive to increase the efficiency of the whole Department. As the Digital Messaging and Countering Violent Extremism teams are small it is reasonable for them to share a manager, and this is not expected to reduce the output of the anti-scams work,” Seymour said.
“Recent technology changes, such as introducing single-click reporting of text scams on iPhones, have increased the efficiency of the Digital Messaging team, which will lead to more effective action being taken against scammers and greater safeguards for the New Zealand public,” he added.
The single-click reporting on Apple iPhones comprises a “Report Spam” button that users can click on if they receive scam messages. That button ties in with the DIA’s 7226 short code line, automating the reporting process for users.
Whether or not more efficient reporting reduces the workload for the investigative and enforcement team is not clear however.
Despite the efficiency drive and cost cutting at DIA, both Seymour and Simpson promises there is more to come for the official anti-scam effort.
“The Department is one of many agencies that work to prevent and disrupt scams. The Government is working on a more coordinated approach and will be announcing next steps on this shortly,” Seymour said.
Minister Simpson meanwhile said that he is determined to ensure that New Zealand doesn’t fall behind and become an easy target for scammers.
“We all have a role to play in preventing scams. As Minister, I am pushing both the government and private sector to work harder, and come together, to combat scams. I will have an announcement on this shortly,” Simpson said.
Earlier this year, the New Zealand Banking Association (NZBA) announced a range of measures to protect customers from scams, including Confirmation of Payee, and reimbursement for victims up to $500,000.
However, the banks declined to take full responsibility for scam losses, and NZBA called on telcos, social media companies and global technology platforms to introduce their own protection measures.
Google New Zealand, which RNZ reported was in talks with Simpson's predecessor Andrew Bayly last year around the government's anti-scam efforts, was approached for comment but did not respond.
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