Skimmer suspect evades police

Police yesterday swooped on the Auckland apartment of a man wanted in connection with a skimming fraud that has fleeced bank accounts of more than $100,000.

The mystery man has been linked to the scam through phonecards that were loaded with stolen bank card details and used to withdraw cash from more than 100 accounts - some of them accessed from Canada.

The Herald understands that the man has been living with a woman at Century on Anzac, a high-rise apartment complex with a pool and gym in Anzac Ave.

The pair had moved out before police turned up yesterday.

Police were saying little about the investigation but the Bank of New Zealand announced it had taken further steps to combat the fraud by replacing a particular make of ATM around the country.

The bank has already replaced or removed six Auckland money machines, including three targeted in the scam, because they were at risk of skimming.

Another 15 Diebold (Model 1072) machines outside Auckland will be replaced by April 19.

"While the fraudsters have targeted this make and model of machine this time, international experience shows that all ATMs are at risk," said Shona Bishop, of BNZ.

The ATMs replaced in Auckland were in New Lynn, Pakuranga, Silverdale, Manurewa, Ponsonby and on the corner of Queen and Victoria Sts.

More than $100,000 has been stolen from customers who used the New Lynn and Pakuranga machines.

BNZ said no suspicious transactions had been linked to the Queen St, Ponsonby or Manurewa machines but it was monitoring customer accounts.

The fraudsters have taken $49,000 from 60 people who used their cards at the Pakuranga Plaza, and a further $54,690 from 30 accounts that were skimmed in New Lynn.

Some accounts have been accessed from Canada using the stolen information, prompting the BNZ to block overseas use of cards that went through the Ponsonby, Manurewa and Queen St machines during March.

Other major banks yesterday confirmed a number of their customer accounts had been accessed and money stolen.

Westpac said $10,000 had been plundered and ASB said $7000 had been taken. One Kiwibank customer had $1000 stolen.

National Bank and ANZ said fewer than 10 customers had had money stolen.

All banks are reimbursing the funds.

Police say the man they are looking for has poor English.

He was caught on security camera buying 55 phone cards from a souvenir shop in downtown Auckland last month.

Skimmers harvest PIN numbers by shoulder surfing or installing small cameras near the ATM.