Recycling a non-genuine mobile phone

jumperabv3

A friend of mine has a non-genuine mobile phone he got from China. He has it for about 6 months. It's an exact copy of the Blackberry Curve 8900 but he wants to sell it or get some cash for it.

There are lots of websites offering money for the genuine/original phone but he wants to sell this phone, he wants to declare and state this is a copy phone, not original - but he is wondering if there is any place that is willing to buy the phone from him or the one he has is simply rubbish and he cannot sell it for cash?

Please advise.

JJ_Egan

phone from him or the one he has is simply rubbish and he cannot sell it for cash?
Thats what i would say .
All he could try is Ebay with an accurate description of the phone .

jje

jumperabv3

JJ_Egan wrote: »

phone from him or the one he has is simply rubbish and he cannot sell it for cash?
Thats what i would say .
All he could try is Ebay with an accurate description of the phone .

jje

He is asking what happens if he would try to recycle his mobile with one of the recycling companies?
Any idea?

Darksun

JJ_Egan wrote: »

phone from him or the one he has is simply rubbish and he cannot sell it for cash?
Thats what i would say .
All he could try is Ebay with an accurate description of the phone .

jje

The problem with that is if it's a copy he won't be able to legally sell it (even if he says it's a fake). It's still using RIM's trademarks and designs unlawfully.

If he doesn't want it any more he mayaswell just chuck it

molerat

If it is a fake pretending to be the real thing they will destroy it and not pay out. They would not be allowed to return it.

jumperabv3

molerat wrote: »

If it is a fake pretending to be the real thing they will destroy it and not pay out. They would not be allowed to return it.

Okay. He is asking if he risks any prosecution if he takes the risk? He wants to try and recycle the mobile through one of the sites that pay cash for old mobiles. He wants to know to know if he will risk prosecution if he does try to recycle it? He says the worse case scenario for him would be to lose the phone and get nothing for it.

So what is the answer? Does he risk any prosecution?

Woby_Tide

So he is trying to obtain money by deception?

Yet he isn't sure sure of the risks? Maybe he could go and ask the local Police Station for some advice?

jumperabv3

Woby_Tide wrote: »

So he is trying to obtain money by deception?

Yet he isn't sure sure of the risks? Maybe he could go and ask the local Police Station for some advice?

He is asking if he can get arrested for it? Is there any risk of prosecution from the recycling companies? Yes or no?
He wants to know if anything could happen to him.
Don't ask me why, that's what he wants to know, I am not responsible for his actions, he says he just wants concrete answers. If I was him I wouldn't even deal with it, I'm just doing him a favour by asking what he wants.

Can you please elaborate and explain what are the risks he takes by sending his non-genuine mobile to one of the recycling companies?

Thanks!

Lifes_Grand_Plan

@ jumperabv3,

Worst case scenario, he could be charged with attempting to obtain money by deception (i.e. selling a phone that is not a blackberry as a blackberry and trying to get the money for it). If that happens he could be in big trouble.

In reality (in my non legal mind) he would more likely just not get the phone back and get no money for it.

I would think there is a very, very slim chance he would get away with this. As soon as they switch it on they will realise it doesn't run blackberry software even if they couldn't tell from just looking at it.

Hope this helps.

jumperabv3

Lifes_Grand_Plan wrote: »

@ jumperabv3,

Worst case scenario, he could be charged with attempting to obtain money by deception (i.e. selling a phone that is not a blackberry as a blackberry and trying to get the money for it). If that happens he could be in big trouble.

In reality (in my non legal mind) he would more likely just not get the phone back and get no money for it.

I would think there is a very, very slim chance he would get away with this. As soon as they switch it on they will realise it doesn't run blackberry software even if they couldn't tell from just looking at it.

Hope this helps.

Yes, it helps very much!
Thanks for being straightforward and explaining all this properly.

Cheers.

Orrin

From the FAQ on topdollarmobile.co.uk:

10. Do you accept counterfeit/fake mobile(s)?
Please note that we only accept genuine mobile(s). We shall check each mobile upon receipt before we make any payment to the customer. If it is counterfeit or fake, we cannot fulfil the payment, or return the phone.

Doesn't sound like they will dial 999 or anything, but as said above if you claim it's something that you know it's not in order to profit then that's against the law.

I'd also imagine you would have a very slim chance of getting away with it as whoever checks the phones at these places obviously looks at phones all day long and would probably spot a fake straight away.