Apple Warns Telus and Other Carriers About Fake iPhones Being Returned

Yesterday a report surfaced over at MobileSyrup about an internal document from Telus noting its employees to be on the lookout for fake iPhones being returned at various Telus locations. Immediately what came to mind was the ‘clay iPad in a box’ return scam that hit stores such as Future Shop, Best Buy, Walmart and London Drugs.

We spoke with Telus and were clearly told they had not fell victim to any fake iPhone returns. The notice was sent directly from Apple, then shared with various store teams. We were told other carriers such as Rogers and Bell most likely received similar notices as well. The image above provides instructions in detecting a fake iPhone.

Last year, we saw some incredibly detailed knock off iPhone 4 clones being made available online and that has translated over to the iPhone 4S. Users over at HowardForums warned each other about knock off iPhone 4S units being scalped online. One particular user easily identified a fake due to the $80 price tag for a 64GB iPhone 4S, along with a poorly made box and irregular microSIM tray.

Here are some knock off iPhone 4 images from last year. If phones being returned looked like this, I could see how it could easily pass as the real thing when powered off. Can you tell between the fake and real iPhone 4 below?

It’ll be interesting to see if anything surfaces from Rogers or Bell. If you hear anything, be sure to let us know.