In New Zealand, Norton reports that AI-driven romance and sextortion scams increasingly rely on personalised details and manipulated images. Avast researchers, cited by Norton, found that sextortion scams in New Zealand rose by 137% in early 2025, with threat actors using AI-generated deepfake material and messages that reference data from earlier breaches. Victims are told that explicit content will be released unless they pay, with accurate personal information used to reinforce the threat. For insurers, these patterns intersect with identity theft, privacy, financial loss, and mental harm exposures, and may create follow-on issues where compromised accounts, business systems, or funds are brought into the incident.
