Exposed: eBay crook who sold 'skimmers' that clone bank cards at cashpoints is unmasked in undercover sting

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Sting: Habibur Rahman, 27, sold our reporter equipment to fit on to card slots and read unsuspecting bank customers' private data

A crook who uses eBay to sell electronic devices that clone bank cards at cashpoints has been unmasked by The Mail on Sunday.

Known as skimmers, the matchbox-size machines fit on to card slots to read unsuspecting bank customers' private data, enabling criminals to clone their cards and steal cash in a widespread fraud that costs Britons many millions of pounds each year.

Despite being illegal under the Fraud Act 2006, dozens of skimmers have been sold in the UK for prices up to £765 on auction website eBay. Among the sellers was Habibur Rahman, of East London.

Contacted by an undercover reporter about buying a skimmer, Rahman, 27, said: '[It's] good money if ur patient and put the time in. It's all about time.

'I have some customers buy these on a regular basis. So they must be doing sumthing right. People who buy it they no what they are doing. It works just need to no the right places to get ur money [sic].'

Our reporter bought a panel used with a skimmer to disguise a pinhole camera that records a customer's PIN. The item cost £65 and arrived in the post within days.

The Mail on Sunday traced his eBay seller address to a £300,000 three-bedroom terrace house in East Ham, London. There, a man whose photograph is on Facebook under the name Habibur Rahman claimed he had never heard of him.

When told about this report, he shouted: 'Get off my property.' Later that day the listings were taken off eBay.

An analysis of Rahman's eBay account revealed he has been selling skimming devices for at least six months and has made 42 transactions.

Trade body The UK Cards Association said skimming was responsible for £43.4 million of fraud last year. Michael Kemp, founder at security consultants Xiphos Research, said: 'This type of equipment used to be extremely difficult to get hold of. What is scary is that it is now openly available to anyone on eBay.'

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The matchbox-size machines fit on to card slots to read unsuspecting bank customers' private data, enabling criminals to clone their cards and steal cash

Home Affairs Select Committee member Nicola Blackwood said: 'It seems to me that offences under the Fraud Act may well have been committed in this case and it is hard to see how card fraud will ever be stamped out while the sale of credit-card skimmers is being facilitated by online retailers in this way.'

A spokesman for eBay said: 'We co-operate fully with the police and other authorities to help keep eBay free of any items of concern.'

Contacted by email yesterday, Rahman replied: 'Your so dumb, you think anything works. Only to exploit stupid people who think this might work [sic]. In reality nothing ever works and I would like you to be able to show proof that I even sold you this item.'

DAILYMAIL.CO.UK