Photo: RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly
Two teenagers are to be deported following convictions for their roles in a texting scam that saw millions of Kiwis sent fraudulent messages.
One of the men will head back to the United Kingdom this week, while the other needs to complete a two-year prison sentence first.
In a statement, police said Alvin Agyeman Acheampong and Alexander Manfo, both 19, were sentenced in Auckland District Court on Tuesday.
Acheampong was sentences to two years' imprisonment for a number of offences committed during the scam,
Manfo was sentenced to 400 hours of community service and fined $3400.
He was detained by Immigration New Zealand shortly after sentencing, police said.
The pair were arrested in February for a "complex cybercrime", Detective Senior Sergeant Craig Bolton said.
"A prison sentence sends a very clear signal to any criminal group looking to set up shop in this country," he says.
"New Zealand authorities are working closer than ever, and we will catch up with you."
Bolton said the texting scam saw many messages sent to phones pretending to be well-known and trusted organisations.
As a result, some victims lost between $10,000 and $100,000 when the scammers got control of their accounts.
Bolton said such scams caused "so much hurt and frustration for Kiwis".
"Police and our partner agencies remain committed to preventing and stopping this type of crime, but it pays to be vigilant at all times with text or email messages asking you to click on links."
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