Identity theft: Alleged prolific Auckland fraudster faces dozens of charges

• A fraudster faces 36 charges after allegedly accruing over $110,000 in trade debt using a fake identity.
• The man was arrested in Auckland’s CBD and remanded in custody.
• He allegedly used a fake driver’s licence to obtain goods from retailers across Auckland.

A highly prolific Auckland fraudster is facing dozens of charges after racking up over $100,000 in trade debt under a false identity.

Police say the man has been remanded in custody after being arrested by fraud detectives on Tuesday at a downtown Auckland apartment.

Auckland police’s Financial Crime Unit has been adding up his crime spree, which allegedly began in December, laying 36 fraud charges.

Kumeū police had initially dealt with an unsuspecting victim of alleged identity theft and alerted the unit.

Detective Senior Sergeant Craig Bolton said: “It will be alleged that the man used a fake driver’s licence to obtain more than $110,000 in products from several large electronic and hardware retailers.

A prolific fraudster faces dozens of charges after allegedly racking up over $100,000 in trade debt under someone else’s identity. Photo / 123rf

“This included fraudulently ordering nearly $20,000 in equipment commonly used to operate a clandestine laboratory.”

Police say branches of well-known retailers were targeted across Auckland.

Items allegedly obtained by the man include high-value electronic and hardware goods.

Bolton says fake driver’s licences are generally a tool for fraud offenders.

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He says this sort of offending will involve someone combining their real identity with that of another person.

“I acknowledge our colleagues in Kumeū for alerting us in the first instance, which has prompted our team to investigate.

“Detective Sergeant Ramsay and Detective Everson from the Auckland City’s Financial Crime Unit have worked with urgency to bring together 12 separate cases Auckland-wide.”

Police said the man has appeared in the Auckland District Court and will reappear on April 11.

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