A new Apple crime blotter shows that fake iPhone smugglers are also targeting other popular smartphone brands.
A Californian, who is currently sentenced to two-year imprisonment, was discovered to be counterfeiting handset components of other giant phone creators, especially Motorola and Samsung.
Last July 16, the United States Customs confiscated a large number of fake Apple AirPods. The government department said that the popular wearable device is not the only Apple product affected by rising counterfeiting activities. Basically they’re used iPhones with aesthetic and even functional damage replaced with cheap fake replacement parts, packed and sealed into fake iPhone boxes to make them seem like new never-been-used-before units. These used iPhones are sold at significantly higher prices.
In the case of the Californian resident, the U.S. Department of Justice confirmed that the 46-year-old man pled guilty in late 2020 to different crimes. These include intentional traffic in counterfeit goods.
On the other hand, the security agency added that the man was not alone since he also conspired with other counterfeiters to set up the so-called "Convert Shipping Channels," which is used to deliver the fake smartphone parts between China, Hong Kong, and the United States.
Apple Crime Blotter's Other Confirmed Cases
According to Apple Insider, fake iPhone parts smuggling is just one of the Apple-related crimes currently taking place in various countries. Another issue involves a woman suffering from an iPhone "double-stolen" crime.
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The victim, who currently resides in Kenya, had her physical Apple handset stolen. After that, she also received a phishing text from a bogus Apple Support account representative.
Oh nice iPhone you got there! Guess the 4 year old making the parts so you can get fake woke points don’t matter?
— ZacharyRMS (@RmsZachary) May 19, 2021
Later, the text came from the thieves, which allowed them to acquire her sensitive info to access the stolen device.
On the other hand, a man from Wisconsin was also arrested for stealing Apple products. He was caught after authorities discovered some empty boxes in his hotel room. They claimed that these containers came from a Bargain City store, the place where he stole the Apple iPods, MacBooks, and iPhones.
How To Identify Fake iPhone Parts?
MakeUseOf explained that there are numerous methods you can try to check if your iPhone has some fake components. These include the following:
- One of the most efficient ways to know if an iPhone part is fake is by checking the liquid detection indicators. If your device easily suffers from water damage, there's a high chance that the liquid detection indicators are counterfeited.
- Another effective method is bringing your iPhone to an Apple Store or Apple-authorized repair firm. However, you need to remember that this could cost you some money.
- Aside from these methods, you can also rely on checking your handset's battery health settings. If your iPhone's power drains fast, then the battery must be a fake one.
For more news updates about Apple-related crimes and other similar stories, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes.
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Written by: Griffin Davis
