RealMe fraudster jailed for nearly 10 years

A man has been sentenced to nine years and eight months in prison for serious fraud offending using the RealMe identity verification service.

Hayden Gobey was sentenced at Wellington District Court on Friday. Detective Inspector Stuart Mills said the offending involved the dishonest access and misuse of personal information, forgery and impersonation.

"Victims lost thousands of dollars and this will have caused an extreme amount of financial stress, both short and long term."

Mills wanted to acknowledge the assistance victims provided police throughout the investigation.

"The offending was deliberately deceptive in nature and is likely to have had a significant impact on victims, undermining their trust not only in individuals but also in a range of organisations and services."

Department of Internal Affairs investigations identity manager Mireille Johnson said offending where someone impersonates other individuals and misuses the identity verification service undermines trust in New Zealand's digital identity systems. Johnson hoped the sentence sent a clear message that those abusing identity systems will be held accountable.