Police are urging people to stay vigilant after officers seized a haul of fake iPhones during an intelligence-led vehicle stop in Arnold.
Fifteen counterfeit phones were recovered, along with fake Apple AirPods and watches, after officers recently stopped a car in the Redhill area.
Officers recovered the items and also seized the foreign-registered Audi itself which was found to have been in the country for more than six months and wasn’t taxed.
The realistic-looking items are now in the process of being handed over to Trading Standards officials following the vehicle stop on November 18.
Sergeant Steve Waft, of Nottinghamshire Police’s roads policing unit, said: “The phones were packed in cellophane and looked real. They even turned on and had the start-up process however we quickly noticed that they ran very slowly and once we got past the first few screens that’s all there was.
“We believe these fake phones were being sold for between £400 and £600 each.
“Anyone who may have bought these phones either in person or online would have been defrauded out of significant amounts of money. The only use they would have had would have been as a paper weight.
“There’s also a safety risk as fake electronic equipment, such as mobile phones or chargers, could be dangerous to use or pose a fire risk.
“With Christmas coming up, we don’t want people to lose hundreds of pounds on products that aren’t genuine. It might look like a bargain but if an offer seems too good to be true then it probably is.
“We’re warning anyone tempted to buy expensive items like mobile phones from someone they don’t know to be careful – people should always check items before buying and only buy from trusted sellers.”
If you think you have been sold counterfeit goods, or if you suspect somebody is selling fake goods, you can get advice from the Citizens Advice consumer helpline on 03454 04 05 06 or from your local Trading Standards office.
You should also report it to Action Fraud online at actionfraud.police.uk or by calling them on 0300 123 2040.
