Two women impersonating Waikato council staff have been demanding money from Raglan freedom campers in exchange for fake permits.
Six cases of the deception are known to the Waikato District Council, but monitoring team leader Craig Birkett admits he doesn't know how long the scam has been going.
- Kaikōura beachfront where freedom campers caught defecating closed
- Freedom camping to be trialled in Dunedin city this summer
- DoC's advice for freedom campers: 'Make your own poo tube'
"We've got record of one person that paid up and we have record of one person that simply told them to go away," he told Newshub.
The campers have been woken up early by the women to pay $50 in cash for the phony passes, after reportedly being told they were normally $250.
However, Mr Birkett explained there is "no such thing as a pass or permit to freedom camp in Raglan".
"With summer around the corner, there's been an increase in the number of freedom campers out in Raglan," he said. "Council will not ask you for money, however, if you are camping in a prohibited area you will be given an infringement notice."
If approached by enforcement officers, campers are now being told to ask for identification. If the officer cannot provide any, the incident should be reported to police.
Newshub.
