Mobile Users Warned Against New Phone Scam Hitting Brunei
By M K Anwar

Bandar Seri Begawan - A new-fangled scam has hit Brunei's lucrative mobile phone market.

As new models of popular brands continue to flood the market, a clamour for the highly sophisticated new phones is on the rise.

And in keeping with all that market activity are some unscrupulous elements that allegedly pass off old mobile phones packaged as brand new ones to gullible and unsuspecting consumers

Buyers are now advised by genuine merchants and traders to be extra-vigilant when making their purchases.

The scam is said to be operated by unethical people, who are capitalising on the rising demand for mobile phones.

With new models of mobile phones being introduced almost every month, there seems to be a glut of the old models that are being allegedly hawked as new.

Many buyers have been eager to change their almost new cell phones for brand new ones with multi-functions, including better features and design.

It is not surprising to see someone with a different mobile phone every time. Some new mobiles just pop up in stores, observers said.

The fast changing pace of the mobile phone market has made some errant traders sell old mobile phones as new.

Though still at a high price, a lot of people seem to be enticed with these offers.

Meanwhile, according to industry sources, second-hand mobiles continue to pile up in shops, thus providing fodder for scam mongers.

The Bulletin received complaints by members of the public that they were duped into buying used mobiles allegedly passed off as new ones.

These mobiles, though, still looking brand new has been sold at full price.

A woman consumer from KB informed the Bulletin that she was surprised to find phone numbers of people she did not know in her `new' mobile. "Everything looks new, the battery, the charger and even the packaging", she said.

This was not the only complaint that the Bulletin received in recent times. Three other people have also contacted the Bulletin telling the same story.

They all claimed that they thought they bought a brand new mobile but realised a little too late that they were duped.

Some said that they wouldn't have realised it as they were in neat packaging.

"I wouldn't have known until I saw the call time that was logged in the master counter of the mobile I bought, I've had the mobile for three days but the counter time told me as if I had been using it for three months", explained the person.

For those buying a mobile phone it is advisable for them to inspect the instrument thoroughly. A careful look into the mobile can reveal its past owners.

One feature of the mobile phone is its master counter that provides information on the total call duration time. Some phones have this feature and the time itself cannot be reset. -- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

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