Auckland City Police investigating fraud by credit card "skimming" arrested two Romanian men aged 24 and 35 in a central city motel last week and charged them on January 28 in the Auckland District Court with dishonestly using a document.
They were remanded in custody until February 9 when they will re-appear and will likely face further charges.
Detective Sergeant Paul Newman, head of the Auckland Central General Fraud Squad, said the alleged offences occurred in Orewa and Rotorua during December 2008 and January 2009.
"Good work from members of the public and bank staff identified covert devices placed on Automatic Teller Machines (ATMs) which were designed to capture card and user details from unsuspecting customers," Mr Newman said.
"Police were alerted and inquiries led them to a central city motel room where the two defendants were preparing to leave the country. A number of items linking the defendants to the alleged offending were also located."
Detective Sergeant Newman said that card 'skimming' is an international crime trend and is carried out by people who attach card reading devices to ATMs, usually to card reading apertures, and a camera aimed at the ATM key pad.
Unsuspecting customers using the compromised machines have their card details captured via the card reading device and their Personal Identification Number (PIN) recorded by a small camera which is usually secreted above ATM screen.
Devices placed on machines are often sophisticated and difficult to detect although many ATMs in New Zealand have anti-skimming devices built in to them. People using ATMs should follow the directions of use on the machine, avoid forcing cards into card apertures and take care not to openly disclose PIN numbers.
Members of the public are encouraged to report any suspicious activity around ATMs or any suspicious items attached to ATMs to bank staff or Police.
ENDS
Issued by Noreen Hegarty
Auckland City Police Communications Manager
Ph 09 302 6947 or 0274-951-589 - Website: www.police.govt.nz