Mahir Haneef
Kochi
Is there any chance of a lost or stolen mobile phone being recovered? Not in Kerala, say experts. The reason is that full-fledged rackets for selling stolen mobile phones as new ones are functioning in Kerala.
Abdul Rehman, a mobile phone technician, says “About 90 per cent of the new mobile phones sold in Kerala are old ones, either stolen or sold after short-term use. Very few people have detailed knowledge on how to sell a second-hand or stolen mobile phone as new and they thrive on it. Every part of a mobile phone is available including duplicate catalogues.”
Explaining the function of the rackets, Mr Rehman said “International Mobile Equipment Number (IMEN) is the key to identify a stolen mobile phone. This number is part of the software, which also stores the number of hours used and such details. IMEN is also stored in a sticker inside the mobile phone. This sticker is removed applying heat and a duplicate sticker is installed in its place. Then the IMEN on the duplicate sticker is fed into the mobile phone after replacing the software, thereby deleting details such as number of hours used.
“Second-hand mobile phones are also sold as new ones by replacing the software and the outer cover and recharging pins, which may show signs of use. The rich as well as business class use a new model for a few months and then sells them at whatever price it fetches and buy new ones. These phones and the stolen ones are offered at prices lesser than phones with company guarantee. A shop guarantee is given instead and the fact is that most mobile phones won’t have any complaint within one year of manufacture.”
Referring to catalogues, he said “Duplicate catalogues and covers are available for all models. Mobile phones from the gulf regions are brought here and sold as new ones after packing them in duplicate cover along with a duplicate catalogue. Most buyers believe that the information regarding usage, displayed by pressing certain codes, is true, but replacing the software resets the whole data.”
Original catalogues are also reused by some dealers, Mr Rehman said. “Some customers sell mobile phones along with original. The details of the customer would be recorded only in the page printed in English. This page is torn off and details of the new customer are entered in the page printed in Hindi. Most often even the company officials fail to recognise this and provide warranty cover.”
Customers are losers in terms of spare parts also. “Duplicate batteries are sold as original ones by fitting bronze plates inside them. Customers are asked to differentiate the original one from the duplicate by their weight, saying that an original battery would weigh more,” Mr Rehman said.
This racket is not limited to mobile phone technicians and dealers alone, says Mr Rehman. “A major service provider of CDMA sets cheats the customer in a unique way. When the mobile phone fails, the customer would approach the showroom and would be informed that the network card and other things have become faulty and have to be replaced at the cost of Rs 5,000. He would also be told that it would take some time as the phone has to be sent to Madras for repair. In reality, only the software needs to be replaced. The customer then goes in for a fresh set, which the company provides at Rs 2,500. Thus the customer not only has to spend for a new set, but also has to recharge his connection once again.”
