In the wake of the rioting that recently shook Britain, there have been suggestions that the online auction market has been flooded with looted smartphones.
No unusual activity has been reported by eBay, but the company has confirmed it will be on the lookout for any suspicious goings on in the coming weeks. A statement was released by the company expressing sympathy for the businesses and communities caught up in the riots, and they said they would be cooperating with investigators to identify and remove any criminal listings.
The number of iPhone 3GS handsets listed on eBay went up from a few dozen before the riots to 150 afterwards, and the same pattern has been observed on other online auction sites. This has led many to conclude that stolen goods are being sold online.
Consumers have been advised to approach such items with caution where they appear on auction sites, with the Telecommunications UK Fraud Forum expressing concern that honest people could be fooled into purchasing looted goods.
Anyone who does purchase a stolen phone could end up in trouble with the police, and the mobile phone industry is also committed to barring stolen handsets from working on UK networks. As such, the safest option is buying only from reputable sources. Any members of the public who wish to check the history of a smartphone can now do so by entering the IMEI or serial number at Checkmend.com.
If a seller has nothing to hide, they should readily provide this information. Refusal to do so should ring alarm bells. If you don't want to take any risks, the best thing to do is go to a reputable, established retailer, or straight to one of the networks. If you do make a purchase through an online auction site, use a credit card, or PayPal - that way, you have the ability to claim a refund if it emerges you have bought a stolen item.
No unusual activity has been reported by eBay, but the company has confirmed it will be on the lookout for any suspicious goings on in the coming weeks. A statement was released by the company expressing sympathy for the businesses and communities caught up in the riots, and they said they would be cooperating with investigators to identify and remove any criminal listings.
The number of iPhone 3GS handsets listed on eBay went up from a few dozen before the riots to 150 afterwards, and the same pattern has been observed on other online auction sites. This has led many to conclude that stolen goods are being sold online.
Consumers have been advised to approach such items with caution where they appear on auction sites, with the Telecommunications UK Fraud Forum expressing concern that honest people could be fooled into purchasing looted goods.
Anyone who does purchase a stolen phone could end up in trouble with the police, and the mobile phone industry is also committed to barring stolen handsets from working on UK networks. As such, the safest option is buying only from reputable sources. Any members of the public who wish to check the history of a smartphone can now do so by entering the IMEI or serial number at Checkmend.com.
If a seller has nothing to hide, they should readily provide this information. Refusal to do so should ring alarm bells. If you don't want to take any risks, the best thing to do is go to a reputable, established retailer, or straight to one of the networks. If you do make a purchase through an online auction site, use a credit card, or PayPal - that way, you have the ability to claim a refund if it emerges you have bought a stolen item.
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