The awkward places NZers admit to using their devices – and why scammers love it

From the bathroom to the boardroom, New Zealanders are responding to notifications and messages in some pretty awkward places – and it reveals just how distracted and hurried we’ve become, a new survey from BNZ shows.

The nationwide study found that most New Zealanders have responded to an email, text or notification while doing something else, with 35% admitting they’ve done so in the bathroom, 41% in the middle of a face-to-face conversation, and 28% while in a meeting or webinar.

“And when we’re rushed or distracted like this, we make mistakes,” says BNZ Head of Fraud Operations, Margaret Miller.

Nearly a quarter (24%) confess to clicking through to a “great deal” without checking if the link was legitimate, while 19% have hit a link in a text before reading it properly.

“Scammers prey on the fact that when we’re rushed, distracted, or juggling multiple things we’re more likely to click first and think later,” Miller says.

The study found that New Zealanders are generally aware of when they’re most vulnerable, with 78% recognising that being distracted, rushed, multitasking, stressed or on autopilot makes them more likely to be scammed or make a mistake with online banking.

Yet scammers are still succeeding. According to the survey, while 61% of Kiwis spotted a scam in the past year and avoided it, 12% weren’t so lucky.

Strategic design to slow scams down

While individual vigilance remains the best defence and the banking sector continues to invest tens of millions in security each year, BNZ is also exploring a different approach through strategic design features that work with how people actually behave.

“While we all expect seamless digital experiences, we’ve learned that introducing small elements of friction at critical moments helps with focus and ultimately, keeps customers and their money safer,” says BNZ Head of Design, Donal Devlin.

“In practice, this means things like swapping button locations, adding brief pause notifications, or showing “pause and think” alerts to help customers stay focused when making higher risk transactions or actions in their accounts.

“It’s about finding the right balance between convenience and security – adding just enough of a moment to think when the stakes are highest.”

BNZ is also strengthening security in other ways, including being one of only two major banks to offer app-based authentication rather than text messages, which can be intercepted by scammers.

The bank has also introduced online banking lock, which gives customers the ability to quickly disable all online banking activity and lock access to their online banking if they suspect a scammer has gained access to their accounts.

It’s all about working with human nature, not against it, Miller says.

“We know people are busy, we know they multi-task, and we know they sometimes rush.

“So, while customers should remain vigilant, we’re also designing smart security features that give you a moment to double-check when it matters most.”

Tips for improving your digital safety and security

• Pause before clicking – especially if you’re doing something else at the same time
• Never click on links or attachments sent by someone you don’t know or that seem out of character for someone you do know
• Keep your computer and phone security software up to date
• Contact your bank immediately if you think you’ve been scammed

Red flags to watch for – BNZ will never:

• Email or text you links to online banking and ask you to log in
• Send you a text message with a link to a website, or link to call us
• Ask you for your PIN number or password
• Ask you to share the authentication codes sent to you by text or email, even with a BNZ staff member
• Ask you to transfer money to help catch a scammer or a bank employee who is scamming customers
• Send you a text message about account issues with a link to log in
• Ask you to download software to access your Internet Banking remotely
• Use international phone numbers to call or send you notifications

The BNZ Safe and Secure Survey was conducted by Insights HQ in May 2025, with sample sizes ranging from n=235 to n=478 depending on the question. Overall survey results were weighted to be nationally representative by age (15+ years), gender, and region based on Census 2020.