A 37-year-old man will face court today after being charged in relation to organised credit card fraud.

Strike Force Somersham is a Fraud and Cybercrime Squad and Sutherland Local Area Command investigation into the creation of fake credit cards using data skimmed from legitimate credit cards.

Police will allege the victims’ card details were stolen when paying for goods on a device that had been fitted with a card skimmer. That included devices which were fitted inside a number of taxis.

It is believed the card details were then used to manufacture fraudulent credit cards which were used to purchase good at various stores throughout NSW and the ACT.

About 9.30am today (Wednesday 27 march 2013), a 37-year-old man was arrested at Campsie Police Station.

He was charged with more than 30 offences relating to fraud and money laundering, including deal with identity information to commit indictable offence, and refused bail to face Burwood Local Court today.

His arrest follows the execution of a search warrant at a home in Punchbowl earlier this week, where blank cards, computer equipment, sheets of credit card numbers and other items were seized.

This is the second arrest by Strike Force Somersham detectives, with another man arrested in November 2012 still before the court.

Anyone with information about this matter should call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or use the Crime Stoppers online reporting page: https://www1.police.nsw.gov.au/. Information you provide will be treated in the strictest of confidence. We remind people they should not report crime information via our Facebook and Twitter pages.

In the meantime, police are also urging people to take the following precautions to reduce the risk of becoming a victim of credit card fraud:

– Never let your credit card out of your sight. – Always cover your hand when entering your pin into an EFTPOS device or ATM. – Change your PIN regularly. – Check your credit card and bank statements regularly and report any discrepancies to your financial institution immediately.