December 24, 2024

Chinese Scammers Exchange Fake iPhone Parts for Real Parts

Posted April 15, 2013 at 2:38pm by iClarified · 13078 views
Employees at an electronics store in the Chinese city of Wenzhou exploited Apple's return policy by exchanging fake parts for real ones, according to a TechWeb report via The Register.

Five employees at an electronics store selling Apple goods were arrested in the Chinese city of Wenzhou after they submitted 121 fake iPhone 4S BAND parts to Apple, claiming they were damaged and needed replacing. BAND is effectively the main part of an iPhone, with a value in China of around 3,000 yuan (£315), according to TechWeb.

Once they received authentic parts in return, the scammers would purchase the other minor components necessary to put together a full device and sell the iPhone 4S for a profit of 1,000 yuan or $162.

It took Apple more than a month to spot the scam but after an investigation the police arrested a shop engineer and her boyfriend.

Notably, this happened just as the Chinese media was blasting Apple over its repair policies.

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