Tag Archives: Cell Phones

Beware of the Mobile Phone Moped Muggers!

Thieves who steal mobile phones straight out of people’s hands as they zoom by on their, often stolen, mopeds are becoming an increasing problem for the public and police.

It’s completely shocking to the person being attacked. Martin Lewis, the money saving expert, who was one of the latest victims can confirm this from his recent attack near Oxford Circus. He tweets about his incident: ‘About 40 minutes ago two men on a moped just rode up on the pavement and snatched my mobile out of my hands. The speed and accuracy was frightening.’ To read more on this attack click here.

Scotland Yard claims that moped muggers are snatching 20 phones an hour and that thieves mainly go for iPhones. If the phone is still switched on then they reset it and sell it on, if not then they will trade it for parts.

If the owner has been astute enough to register their phone on immobilise.com, the National Property Register, they would immediately be able to change the status of the device flagging it as stolen to traders, as well as report it to the Police*. UK Police officers are the ONLY people with authorisation to access the Immobilise database to check the status and ownership of a mobile phone and repatriate it if it is recovered. The Metropolitan Police advise mobile users to activate their phone’s security features when they receive it and to register valuable possessions with immobilise.com for free, pre-loss or theft.

In this increasingly common crime the phone’s owner is often not the only victim. If you are buying a second hand mobile phone, whether that be an iPhone, Samsung, HTC or any other smartphone, then CheckMEND can help you avoid stolen property. An online check costs as little as £1 and will highlight if a phone is blocked, stolen or compromised in someway.  CheckMEND is the most comprehensive device check available helping consumers, traders, recyclers and retailers buy and sell second-hand goods with confidence.

The moral, however of this post is not to give thieves opportunities to steal your possessions or profit from your loss. Try to avoid using your smart phone in public, be cautious, and to be on the safe side always register new phones or mobile devices on immobilise.com.

* Flagging an item as stolen on Immobilise means that information is immediately available to the Police when they conduct searches for it on the Police only NMPR system. In the event of a crime, a report should also be made directly to Police so they are able to investigate it appropriately and request additional details when relevant.

How to buy and sell phones and mobile devices online safely

Online shopping has rapidly become the easiest way to buy goods. With only a click of a button or tap of a screen between us and our next purchase, it’s no wonder that 95% of British people buy goods via the internet. According to The Daily Mail, 1 in 4 British people now shop online at least once a week, although this way of shopping is more convenient it does increase our exposure to fraudulent activity.

By this, I mean that although you may feel ‘safe as houses’, sitting at home on your laptop browsing your favourite sites, you can’t be quite as confident that what your buying is completely legitimate. There are more and more scams to be aware of and avoid especially when buying or selling any mobile devices in the second-hand market.

Many great bargains can be found in online auction and classified ad sites, and in turn you can, as a seller, make some money on the items you no longer need. It’s true what they say ‘one man’s rubbish is another man’s treasure‘.  However without knowing the seller is reputable, it is very hard to be confident that a device is genuine or compromised. One well established way to put your mind at rest is to purchase a CheckMEND report.

A CheckMEND mobile device check costs as little as £0.99p per device and can help inform your buying decision by reporting on a devices current status and history including if it is blocked, marked as lost or stolen, plus many other important data checks. It’s like getting a clean bill of health when your device comes back clear, a green flag to proceed!

If you are selling an item, it is a great idea to sell it with a CheckMEND history report to build trust with your customers, achieving faster sales and higher prices in the process.

Trade with confidence when buying or selling second-hand goods, run a CheckMEND device check now.

Recipero’s online lost property repatriation service Report My Loss launches across the U.S.

Recipero is pleased to announce the launch of its online Report My Loss service throughout the U.S.

lost-mobile-lres-logoJuly 4th means lots of celebrations, parties and events across the country – it is also a massive day for lost property.

Losing valued possessions is enough of a problem. Reporting it should not add to the inconvenience, cue Report My Loss.

Report My Loss is a simple online tool that does exactly as its name implies, enabling people to easily report all types of lost property including cellphones, jewelry, tools and more.

If you’ve ever lost something, you are all too familiar with the hassle involved in dealing with it – firstly working out when, where and how the loss happened, then trying to find out who you should report it to.

Traditionally, where reports were even possible, they’d be taken locally by police or lost property offices and that’s where they’d stay – locally. If your lost item was recovered in the next town or precinct the chances of a report being matched up with an item was very low.

As a national system, Report My Loss eliminates those historical shortcomings and seeks to join the dots between finding agencies and lost property owners.

Why does it work? The short answer – it’s part of Recipero’s Crime Reduction Ecosystem which means many police and other agencies that recover property are already searching Report My Loss records as part of their property investigation processes.

What does it cost? A single report in the U.S. is just $5.95.

Why pay? Good question, there are ways to report losses free but you need to ask yourself some important questions like, how likely are they to help recover my valued possessions? is my data secure? will the report help prevent trade? is the report shared with police?

Report My Loss delivers on all these needs, plus many other benefits that have been well proven in the UK, where it’s used thousands of time each month, dramatically increasing repatriation rates, while delivering considerable time and resource savings for the public and police.

The U.S. loss reporting site is already live at: www.reportmyloss.com/us/

Further information:

Report My Loss corporate information: Recipero Report My Loss information

Recipero appoint David Dillard to accelerate development and rollout of connected-device intelligence solutions across America

dd-blk-thumb-1Recipero is delighted to announce the appointment of David Dillard as Managing Director – Americas.

David joins Recipero with a reputation for extending mobile technologies across multiple platforms with revolutionary revenue models that cover banking, media, entertainment, real estate, and retail.  Over the past 20 years he has held senior positions at Verizon Wireless, Uni-Mobile, Advertising.com, Point.com, and Sprint PCS.  This experience will assist Recipero’s continued development across enterprise, Government and consumer channels.

Recipero, the connected-device industry’s trusted 3rd party, are device-led data experts delivering critical and timely intelligence to the wireless industry, insurance companies, law enforcement and retailers and recyclers. Solutions focus on with fraud prevention, transaction verification, device due-diligence, crime investigation and device ownership registration.

Providing a “clear title” for buyers and sellers of connected-devices, Recipero solutions work to ensure a smooth carrier re-activation experience. Consumers and enterprises have lost confidence in buying or selling a used cell phone due to the growing issue of a device being blacklisted when it has been lost or stolen or has an outstanding contract/lease against it.

Recipero provide connected-device history reports that reveals if a phone, tablet or other mobile device has been lost, stolen or is associated with an unsatisfied lease or contract.

Recipero has aggregated over over a billion data records over the past 15 years which drives over 5 million inquires per month from law enforcement, consumers and enterprise. Users include Sprint, Vodafone, T-Mobile, Brightstar, Assurant, GameStop, Gazelle and Ingram Micro.

Mark Harman, Group CEO Recipero, said:

“I am delighted to welcome David to our US team. We are excited about continuing our investment into building a carrier-grade team to service many of the US and Americas biggest businesses. David’s understanding of the wireless landscape and experience working in and with carriers will be invaluable as we accelerate US growth.”

David Dillard, Managing Director – Americas, said:

“I’m joining Recipero at a very exciting time as the connected device industry is starting to wake up to the increasing costs of fraud and crime. Recipero have created a powerful platform that I am looking forwarding to rapidly developing and expanding the footprint of users.”

Recipero Announces Partnership with Carolina West Wireless to Guard Against Theft and Trade of Stolen Devices

Carolina-West-Wireless-logo-362pxRecipero, a partnering member of Competitive Carriers Association (CCA), has announced that it is collaborating with Carolina West Wireless, the premier wireless carrier serving western North Carolina, to help prevent the trade and sale of stolen smartphones, including Carolina West Wireless devices.

Carolina West Wireless, a CCA carrier member, has signed on to deploy Recipero’s CheckMEND, StockWatch and FraudWatch solutions, part of Recipero’s powerful Crime Reduction Ecosystem that helps detect mobile devices that have been lost or stolen.

The use of Recipero’s CheckMEND solution will help safeguard both customers and employees from criminal activity, StockWatch monitors retail and logistics environments providing early indication inventory theft, while FraudWatch targets the growing problem of contract fraud /credit muling – helping to reduce the personal and commercial impact of crime.

In addition, consumers and law enforcement officials alike will have access to Carolina West Wireless data on lost or stolen devices through Recipero’s CheckMEND and Police NMPR solutions.

CheckMEND is the most complete international listing of lost and stolen mobile devices available, comprised of data from major wireless carriers and law-enforcement entities globally.  Using the CheckMEND tool, Carolina West Wireless can more effectively identify smartphones that have been lost or stolen and prevent them from being accepted into its buyback program.

I am pleased that Carolina West Wireless and Recipero have formed a strategic partnership to protect Carolina West’s subscribers and their property,

said Steven K. Berry, CCA President & CEO.

Protecting subscribers’ investments in their devices is a priority for CCA’s members, and I am delighted that Recipero is providing our carriers a solution to reduce mobile device theft and resale.  As the Federal Communications Commission and state regulators continue to think about the problem of mobile device theft, I hope they will look at the example that Carolina West and Recipero are setting for the industry through this solution that allows the carrier to build loyalty and protect its customers. 

Greg Post, Recipero’s President, North America said:

Our partnership with Carolina West Wireless and CCA, is a significant step in addressing the issue of cell phone fraud and theft. Carolina West Wireless will see the benefits or our crime reduction ecosystem, which we expect to rollout to other CCA members soon.

Slayton Stewart, CEO of Carolina West Wireless said:

We recognize the growing negative impact of device theft and fraud in our industry

We are committed to taking the necessary steps to protect our customers’ against the potentially harmful financial impact of this type of activity.  By deploying the solutions from our new partnership with Recipero, we will minimize this risk while protecting our customers’ financial interests.

About Carolina West Wireless

Carolina West Wireless was formed in 1991 and is owned by a partnership consisting of Skyline Telephone, Surry Telephone and Wilkes Telecommunications. Headquartered in Wilkesboro, North Carolina, Carolina West Wireless provides its customers in ten (10) western NC counties with innovative technology including data and mobile services, the latest wireless equipment and competitive wireless plans that provide national coverage. For more information, visit http://www.carolinawest.com

About CCA

CCA is the nation’s leading association for competitive wireless providers and stakeholders across the United States. The licensed service area of CCA’s more than 100 carrier members covers 95 percent of the nation. Visit www.competitivecarriers.org

Recipero Partners with CCA to Help Carriers Identify and Prevent Trade of Stolen Devices

Denver, CO. – January 28, 2015 – Today, Recipero announced a strategic partnership with Competitive Carriers Association to help prevent the trade and sale of stolen consumer electronics, including smartphones.

CCA-logo-225pxRecipero CheckMEND is the most complete international listing of lost and stolen mobile devices available, comprised of data from major wireless carriers and law-enforcement entities globally. Using the CheckMEND tool, CCA members will have the ability to identify lost or stolen devices and prevent these devices from entering the carrier’s buyback programs.

In addition, CCA can help eliminate trafficking in stolen mobile devices in the U.S. and abroad by submitting the respective identification numbers of all devices that have been reported as lost or stolen into Recipero’s CheckMEND database. The CheckMEND database can also be used by consumers and law-enforcement agencies to verify that a pre-owned CCA member smartphone has not been reported lost or stolen

Consumer safety is a priority for our members, and I am delighted that CCA and Recipero have formed a strategic partnership to help preserve the safety of our members’ customers

said CCA President & CEO Steven K. Berry.

Giving carriers the tools they need to identify stolen or lost devices will certainly help protect their customers and build loyalty, while at the same time proactively reduce mobile-device theft and the sale of stolen smartphones in the U.S. and abroad. The CCA/Recipero effort is a practical, common-sense business solution to solve a real problem for consumers.

Mark Harman, CEO of Recipero said:

CCA’s collaboration with Recipero marks a significant step in helping the industry address cellphone crime. The availability of CCA members lost and stolen device data alongside our existing datasets reinforces Recipero’s reputation for delivering solutions that aim to help socially whilst providing clear commercial benefits.

Continue reading Recipero Partners with CCA to Help Carriers Identify and Prevent Trade of Stolen Devices

Recipero launches CheckMEND Charter to cut cell phone crime

Recipero, the global experts in device-led data and analytics solutions, today have announced the launch of the CheckMEND Charter.

The CheckMEND Charter was created as a means of establishing an industry-led set of best practices to prevent trading of stolen consumer electronics. In addition to protecting consumers and helping to avoid confusion and frustration, Charter participants pledge to actively help law enforcement agencies combat theft and fraud related to consumer electronics.

Several of the US’s biggest consumer electronics retail, reCommerce and recycling companies are already operating in accordance with its principles, including the leading trade-in site Gazelle.

Gazelle was the first US consumer electronics trade-in site to deploy CheckMEND and continue to demonstrate their commitment to the consumer and industry through their involvement with the Charter and its creation.

Israel Ganot, CEO, Gazelle.

“When we first entered into a partnership with Recipero to leverage the CheckMEND tool, our goal was quite simple: to prevent thieves from benefiting from stolen consumer electronics, the new CheckMEND Charter takes this a step further, not only ensuring that Gazelle will never pay a consumer for a device that has been reported as lost or stolen, but to also ensure law enforcement agencies can more effectively combat consumer electronic device theft.

The CheckMEND Charter is a voluntary scheme, open to trade users of CheckMEND who agree to abide by its principles. In support of the Charter and its members, Recipero’s experienced CheckMEND team act as a trusted third party to help troubleshoot any issues that consumers may encounter with devices that are rejected.

Mark Harman, CEO of Recipero, commented:

“The adoption of the US Charter is something we have been working toward for several months. Our experience of the implementation of similar schemes in the UK has demonstrated that voluntary codes of practice such as this Charter have a measurable impact on mobile device related crime, results that we believe can be replicated in the US.”

More details on the requirements for Charter members is available online: www.checkmend.com/us/charter.

CheckMEND is delivered online in real-time and is a cutting-edge analytics tool used to more accurately detect lost and stolen consumer electronics. The database is the most complete listing of devices available, comprised of data from major wireless carriers and law enforcement entities globally.

The CheckMEND service assists everyone from eBay users to mega retailers and recyclers like Gazelle to avoid lost, blocked and stolen devices.

 

About Recipero

Recipero (www.recipero.com) is trusted by thousands of clients and data providers to securely aggregate, analyze and interrogate data. Forming part of millions of decision making processes and transactions every month, Recipero’s device-led data and analytics solutions are provided online, in real-time, and are used globally by law enforcement, wireless carriers, insurers, recyclers, retailers and consumers.

About Gazelle

Gazelle is the nation’s leading consumer electronics trade-in site, providing an easy, fast and safe way for consumers to get cash for their unwanted devices. For more information on Gazelle and its participation in the CheckMEND Charter, visit: www.gazelle.com

 

CheckMEND and GameStop Partner to Strengthen Electronic Trade-in Program

CheckMEND the world’s leading due diligence service for used consumer electronics today announced it has secured an agreement with GameStop to deploy its software in all GameStop’s US stores to identify devices that are not eligible for trade.

Developed by UK-based Recipero, CheckMEND is a unique, cutting edge system that allows retailers and recyclers to proactively identify unacceptable devices and stop them from entering the supply chain.

Using data that is aggregated from over 20,000 data sources (including the FBI) CheckMEND provides access to its service to both enterprise and consumers. GameStop is the first major retailer in the US to integrate its application at point of sale. With a data warehouse containing over 150 billion records of information that is relevant to any buyer of used consumer electronics, CheckMEND is fast becoming the “go-to” data provider for this type of information.

Consumers are becoming more aware of the value that exists in their old electronics. That precipitates a need for reliable data and methods to ensure that retailers are protecting consumers. GameStop is leading the way for other retailers to follow suit.

“We are delighted that GameStop has stepped up to the forefront of consumer protection” said Adrian Portlock Founder of CheckMEND. “Our product allows GameStop to protect their customers, their associates in store and their reputable brand by deterring unwanted activity. GameStop has set the bar for other responsible retailers.” “GameStop will continue to invest in technology solutions that offer our customers the best and safest choice to buy, sell or trade video games, consoles and electronics” said Joe Gorman Vice President of Mobile at GameStop. “Working with CheckMEND, we have further enhanced our process, and we are already reaping the benefits of the service in our stores and our state of the art refurbishment center.”

About CheckMEND
CheckMEND is a service provided by Recipero Limited, a privately owned U.K. company, which has specialized since 2001 in the collection of data relating to the history of used consumer electronics (www.checkmend.com). It has grown into the biggest online provider of this type of information to both the trade and the consumer and is currently focused on expanding its operations in the USA. General information on Recipero can be found on the company’s corporate website at www.recipero.com.

About GameStop Corp.
GameStop Corp. (NYSE: GME), a Fortune 500 and S&P 500 company headquartered in Grapevine, Texas, is the world’s largest multichannel video game retailer. GameStop’s retail network and family of brands include 6,602 company-operated stores in 15 countries worldwide and online at www.GameStop.com. The network also includes: www.Kongregate.com, a leading browser-based game site; Game Informer® magazine, the leading multi-platform video game publication; Spawn Labs, a streaming technology company; a digital PC game distribution platform available at www.GameStop.com/PC; and an online consumer electronics marketplace available at www.BuyMyTronics.com. General information on GameStop Corp. can be obtained at the company’s corporate website. Follow GameStop on Twitter @www.twitter.com/GameStop and find GameStop on Facebook @www.facebook.com/GameStop.

Recycling a phone – things you should know before you do

In the last few months there has been a major improvement in the way recyclers ensure they are not handling goods that are deemed not to be in the hands of the rightful owner. They do this by consulting the CheckMEND database as part of their checking process and if they discover certain facts about the phone they have a legal requirement to act in a predefined manner which you should be aware of.

What are these facts?

If any of the following records exist for the item you are sending to a recycler:

  • A block by the UK networks on the Shared Equipment Identity Register (SEIR) also known as the Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR)
  • A loss or theft report on the Police Stolen Equipment National Database (SEND)
  • A fulfilled insurance claim on the Identifiable Property Insurance Database (IPCD)

Then the recycler has an obligation under their Code of Practice to do certain things:

  • They must tell you there is a problem and give you the details on how to contact CheckMEND so we can tell you which records are present and how you may go about getting them updated to allow the sale to proceed.
  • They must tell CheckMEND about the failure to pass the testing so that CheckMEND may inform the Police, Insurer or Network that originated the record.
  • They must hold the phone for 28 days to allow you to get the records updated or the record originator to claim the item or contact you.
  • If at the end of the 28 days the records have not been updated or the phone claimed as above, the recycler is deemed to be the legal owner of the handset and is required to dispose of the item responsibly.
  • The recycler CANNOT in these circumstances return the item to you or pay you for it. To do either would risk offences under The Theft Act or Proceeds Of Crime Act.

How can you protect yourself?

  • If you are buying a used item, always ask the seller for a CheckMEND certificate or run a check yourself before buying.
  • Always run a check on CheckMEND before you send an item to a recycler or otherwise try to sell it on.
  • If you get a red result on any of the checks shown on the certificate DO NOT send the phone to a recycler until you have got the records updated and the check shows the phone as green, at which point you can send in the item.
  • Sometimes, unscrupulous sellers will supply an item and only weeks or months later report it as lost/stolen or claim on their insurance. This is rare but in this case, your item could fall foul of the above rules after you had a green CheckMEND check and sent it to a recycler. If you are refused payment for your item in this manner as a result of a block, theft report or insurance claim CheckMEND will refund to you the cost of the check. (Not the cost of the item).

If you would like more information on the Recyclers’ code of practice please visit their web sitehttp://www.stoprecycledstolenphones.com

To visit CheckMEND please go to: www.checkmend.com

To read the source article please go to: www.checkmend.com/uk/recycle

Home Office unveils technologies to help protect Britain’s 75m mobile phone users from crime

stolenmobilephonesThree new design innovations to tackle mobile phone crime, including a device that locks a phone and alerts the owner if it is taken away from them, have been unveiled today. The prototypes were developed by teams of designers and technology experts as part of the Mobile Phone Security Challenge, an initiative from the Home Office Design and Technology Alliance and the Design Council, with support and funding from the Technology Strategy Board.

Although the adoption of the designs by the industry is by no means guaranteed, very few people disagree that more needs to be done to address crime relating to mobile phones and portable devices. Although overall crime has dropped since 1997, according to research performed by the University of Leicester, the type of crimes being committed has changed. Their findings suggest that a decade ago burglary was attractive to criminals as they would find households containing DVD players, videos etc that were easy to sell on. These days DVD players cost as little as £20 so have hardly any resale value.

As the phones and media devices we carry around with us have become more powerful, their values have increased and along with it their attractiveness to criminals.

Commenting on the research findings criminology lecturer James Treadwell said:

While we might have seen a decline in some types of crime, we have seen a rise in other forms of criminal activity, particularly young people who seem to be mugging one another

DVD players for example, got cheaper, certain consumer items became smaller and were very, very expensive and sought after, and so the latest mobile phone, or the latest iPod, which people carry about them, have become targets for robbers.

Mobile phone crime will never be an easy issue to address especially as devices become enabled for mobile payments, but new designs and initiatives like the Immobilise National Property Register / NMPR will continue to combat crime.

Links:

Immobilise National Property Register
Home Office: New technologies unveiled to help protect Britain’s 75m mobile phone users from crime
BBC News: Crime targets affected by drop in goods prices