Auckland man jailed after smuggling card skimming equipment

The card-skimming equipment an Auckland man smuggled into the country was uncovered in a customs investigation. Photo / Supplied

An Auckland man has been handed down a 25-month sentence after smuggling card-skimming equipment into the country.

Rimamotu Tiavare’s plans were foiled when customs officers intercepted his package from the US. The parcel contained a car stereo that concealed two card-skimming devices.

A subsequent investigation at the 40-year-old’s home address uncovered cash, notes with card skimming instructions, and phones that had been used to search for ATM locations.

The card-skimming equipment an Auckland man smuggled into the country was uncovered in a customs investigation. Photo / Supplied

In the Auckland District Court this week, Tiavere was convicted on one charge of knowingly importing goods for dishonest purposes under the Customs and Excise Act 2018. His sentence also reflected other charges, such as using forged documents, money laundering and accessing a computer system for dishonest purposes.

Chief Customs Officer for fraud and prohibition Nigel Barnes explained card skimming typically involves inserting a device into ATMs that can read data contained on card magnetic strips and accessing credit card details.

“Criminals also attach pinhole cameras hidden around the ATM to obtain the PIN number of the card,” Barnes said

“The stolen data is later cloned onto blank cards, which are then used by the offenders at ATMs to withdraw money, or sold to overseas third parties for profit.”

Barnes said the devices found through this investigation “were later found to be harder to detect by banks and ATM users”.

“Card skimming is a highly sophisticated way for criminals to steal money from their victims, which often goes unnoticed until it’s too late,” Barnes said.

The card-skimming equipment an Auckland man smuggled into the country was uncovered in a customs investigation. Photo / Supplied

“Customs work closely with law enforcement and industry partners to prevent this type of illegal activity and we remain committed to protecting our communities from being scammed

“Everyone is urged to be extra vigilant when using ATMs or any other machines that accept bank and credit cards - always cover up when entering your PIN.”

Rachel Maher is an Auckland-based reporter who covers breaking news. She has worked for the Herald since 2022.