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An Asian crime ring bought more than $100,000 of jewellery, designer handbags, computers and plush carpet with "skimmed" credit cards while on holiday in New Zealand. One of the men, Chee Thiong Teh, 48, was charged with six counts of using cloned credit cards to spend $40,000 before
he was arrested at Auckland International Airport.
The Malaysian national pleaded guilty on his first appearance at Auckland District Court last week and Judge Josephine Bouchier sentenced him to 18 months in prison that same day.
He used cloned Visa and Commonwealth Bank of Australia credit cards, under fake names Daniel Teh and Joseph Teh, to buy goods in Auckland, Christchurch and Queenstown.
Detective Michael Knighton, of the Auckland fraud squad, said Teh's spree totalled $40,000.
Two other Malaysian tourists, Suliaman Bin Haron and wife Saerah Binte Men, have also pleaded guilty to credit card fraud of $66,000 as part of the same scam.
The crime ring used cloned credit cards from details "skimmed" from ATMs - where the magnetic strip of the card is recorded into a portable device then transferred on to blank cards.
The trio travelled around New Zealand in August and September and were supplied credit cards by another man, known only as Kevin.
In Auckland, they tried and failed to buy an $7800 entertainment system, but successfully purchased four laptop computers and clothing.
The tourists flew to Queenstown and bought handbags and wallets worth $8000 from Louis Vuitton.
Haron and Men flew back to Auckland and used one card 13 times in two days to buy jewellery, clothing and food worth $12,500.
They also bought rings for $15,000 and $6000.
In September, "Kevin" gave Haron and Men more cloned cards before flying to Christchurch Airport, where the police caught them.
They had 20 cloned Mastercard and Visa cards with them.
Teh managed to escape from New Zealand but was caught two weeks ago at Auckland International Airport when he tried to enter the country again.
"He was declined entry by Immigration and we charged him as a deterrent," said Knighton. "There need to be consequences for this sort of crime, other than being sent home."
The fraud by Teh was discovered by Chris Martin, owner of Carpet Court in Newmarket, who "smelt something fishy" when Teh tried to buy $5000 of the most expensive carpet.
Teh unsuccessfully used two credit cards, then returned a week later with different contact address and phone details to complete the sale. Teh eluded capture and fled the country, before being caught on his return.
The convictions of Teh, Suliaman and Men are the most recent in credit card fraud involving "skimmed" credit cards, as foreign criminals increasingly target New Zealand ATMs.
Police are investigating a brazen attack on National Bank ATMs in Queen St, Vulcan Lane and Parnell, in which more than 800 customers used the machines during the narrow timeframe.
The bank has refused to reveal how much was taken other than to say the amount was "significant", and it is believed to be linked to another attack in Hamilton, also in November.
The ATMs were fitted with anti-skimming "jitter" technology. The latest attack in Auckland comes shortly after the successful police prosecution of two illegal immigrants, Jan Marius Scutariu, 31, and Andrei Iustin Raileanu.
The Romanian pair stole nearly $35,000 with cloned credit cards after gluing a skimming device to a Westpac ATM in Hamilton - also fitted with a "jitter" mechanism to supposedly prevent skimming.