Scams target migrant families

BY KRIS DANDO - KAPI-MANA NEWS

Community leaders and social workers are on alert after two separate scams targeting migrants in Porirua.

Judy McKoy, a volunteer with Porirua Language Project, says she was "horrified" to learn from the Burmese family she works with that they were the subject of aggressive doorstep selling two weeks ago.

A European woman has been going door to door in Levant St, Cannons Creek, selling "water filtration systems" at a cost of about $15 a week. Bank details are requested if the customer agrees to the sale.

That in itself isn't illegal, but Ms McKoy says the "scare tactics" being employed "made me very angry". The migrants were told that tap water was poisonous and could give their children cancer.

The Commerce Commission received complaints about an Australian company using similar sales tactics in Manukau in October. In that case, the doorstepping tactics were filmed by TVNZ's Close Up.

Ms McKoy is unsure if it is the same company and whether it is still operating in Porirua.

She says she has heard that salespeople are also in the Hutt Valley, and wants community leaders to warn people not to sign anything, even if pressed to.

"I'm amazed by the temerity of this company; targeting the people they do is just disgusting. It's how people who want easy money operate. I think they know that some of the migrants come from refugee camps where water is poisonous, but the word is getting out there, so hopefully more people won't get caught."

Porirua has over 40 refugee families, most of whom are Burmese.

Sonja De Lange, a social worker with Refugee Services, says scams can erode the trust the organisation has worked hard to build up.

She is aware of another scam, where someone comes to the door offering KiwiSaver, talking up the "$1000 free per person" for signing up, and leaving with the customer's bank details.

"What we want to tell people is that if someone comes to your door, ask them to come back tomorrow and call your community leader [someone at their church or Refugee Services, for example] for advice.

"We're telling the migrants that New Zealand is a safe place, we can help you, and then something like this happens. To tell them their children might die is awful."

The Porirua City Council's settlement support co-ordinator, Annette Woods, says she is "really disappointed" to hear of the scams. She says Kiwis generally have a lot of integrity, so she feels "let down".

Porirua Mayor Jenny Brash is concerned about not just the refugees being targeted but the allegations that the city's water is unsafe.

"These scammers are preying on vulnerable people who may have come from countries where the water is unsanitary, and therefore these false claims can sound believable. It is shocking exploitation."

Sergeant Steve McCormick of Porirua says police have not received any complaints. He recommends that residents contact the Commerce Commission (0800 943 600) if there are any concerns.