Stolen Belgium iPhones Show Up in Russian Black Market
Where did the Russian Black Market, get 4000 stolen iPhones? If you guessed from that from that Belgium warehouse, where do you think they will end up? you would be 100% correct.
Russia currently does not sell the iPhone and the importing of unlocked phones is a hot commodity. Cult of Mac is reporting that the stolen goods are being sold for cash on the Russian Black Market in lots of 100 at below average prices to cell phone vendors.
Some vendors are a little skeptical about purchasing the devices since they know where they came from and know that they can be tracked via IMEI numbers that are all on file. Even so, there are some vendors out there who are not aware and are eager to snatch up a good deal and make a profit. Again, the problem with a vendor selling these phones is if law enforcement forces the local carriers to block the IMEI numbers they will have many customers returning very unhappy.
Our advice to you if you live in Russia, avoid these phones.
There are 12 comments. Add yours.
no one cares
@ Drew J--You obviously cared enough to leave a comment & read the story...hater
I thought IMEI blocking only affected the country that the phone is sold in? IE if a phone is blocked in the UK it will then not receive any signal from any carrier in the UK, yet will pick them up fine in any other country? If that's the case then blocking the IMEI of these stolen iPhones will be futile, no? Unless the Russian buyers decide to visit Belgium, anywhoo :-)
I'd like to buy one or two just to tinker with them.
in soviet Russia you don't buy iphone...iphone buys you!
Bhahaha this is hilarious. "Law enforcement" ;-)
No one gives a f@ck in Russia. You may trust me in this.
You can steal a phone from an old lady and sell it for cheap at a 2nd-hand dealers next door and get away with this. Piece of cake :-)
I reckon Russia has the world's largest market of stolen phones. All stolen phones from neighbouring countries go to Russia. Why? Because IMEI tracking equipment upgrades are expensive and not compulsory in this country hence carriers can't be bothered having it.
It's funny because one of my friends just picked up an unlocked 32 GB iPhone 3GS in Russia for a dead crazy cheap price - $450!!
Red Army is watching you
I was expecting to see Mr. Smirnoff's jokes somewhere around, hmmm, the first commentary.
@johm, you've disappointed me!
I am not sure how many carriers they have in Russia but it's safe to say that any carrier in Russia who has future plans of being a carrier for the Iphone, will be blocking the stolen phones or face being passed over.
In soviet Russia (and indeed, in modern Russia), even they know that a thing from Belgium is a "Belgian" thing. Sadly not in the US.
@Dreadnutz, market in Russia is a bit different. Selling phones for all the carriers is not a major business.