Apple is regularly the target of sophisticated scams targeting its flagship products, especially the iPhone. Last February, we told you the story of two Chinese nationals who defrauded the firm for nearly 3 million dollars. They exchanged everything more than 5,000 counterfeit iPhonesagainst authentic models between 2017 and 2019. The case has just reached its legal outcome.
iPhone scams have been increasing in recent years, putting Apple’s warranty system under strain. Organized networks exploit after-sales service flaws to fraudulently obtain new devices. This conviction illustrates the scale of the phenomenon and the determination of the authorities to put an end to it.
An exemplary conviction
Haotian Sun and Pengfei Xue were ultimately sentenced to heavy prison sentences. The first receives 57 months behind bars, while his accomplice will have to serve 54 months. When they leave, they will still be under monitoring for 3 years. The court also requires them to reimburse part of the damage.
Sun will have to pay more than a million dollars, and Xue almost 400 000 dollars. These considerable amounts reflect the scale of the fraud committed. The two men had set up a well-established system, importing counterfeits from Hong Kong and then exchanging them for authentic iPhones in Apple Stores.
A warning for scammers
This conviction sends a message fort to other scammers tempted by this type of scam. We remind you that there are some in France. On the other side of the Channel, the American authorities take these frauds very seriously, which cause significant harm to businesses. Apple is not the only victim, other tech giants are regularly targeted.
Par : Keleops AG
