Counterfeiters flood UK with fake iPhones

The UK is being flooded with fake iPhones ahead of Apple’s UK launch of the iPhone tomorrow.

The UK is being flooded with fake iPhones ahead of Apple’s UK launch of the iPhone tomorrow.

Counterfeiters and “grey market” sellers are taking advantage of the internet to sell unofficial imports of the iPhone and are inundating the UK with phones, according to research from online brand protection company NetNames.

It reports that in just three days during the week leading up to the UK launch, there were more than 450 online auctions for thousands of unofficial iPhones in progress. The auctions are taking place mainly on eBay and other online auction sites and the average price reached is £335. Chinese replicas of the iPhone are being sold for an average of £56.

The research also reveals that in 70% of these auctions the iPhones were advertised as unlocked. Official UK iPhones are only offered on the O2 network.