Sydney Teen Charged Over Fake Mobile Phones Scam

Sydney Teen Charged Over Fake Mobile Phones Scam
A man is reflected in the glass of display case in a shop selling counterfeit Chinese mobile phones at an outdoor market in the Golden Triangle, situated along the Thai- Burma border November 12, 2012 in Tachiliek, Myanmar. (Paula Bronstein/Getty Images)
AAP
By AAP
8/9/2020
Updated:
8/9/2020

A teenage boy has been charged over a fraud syndicate that targeted people buying mobile phones in Sydney’s southwest via an online marketplace.

Detectives set up Strike Force Brosy in May to investigate the sale of imitation mobile phones in the Fairfield and Liverpool areas.

Investigators arrested the 17-year-old while searching a Fairfield house on July 17. Police also seized more than $7000 cash, electronic devices and designer clothing.

Police say the teen advertised mobile phones on a social media website marketplace, met the buyers, exchanged the phones for money then fled before the buyers noticed the mobile phones were fake.

The teenager was charged with five counts of dishonestly obtain financial advantage by deception, knowingly direct activities of criminal group, knowingly derive material benefit from criminal group and sell/possess/import goods with false trademarks.

He was granted conditional bail to appear in a children’s court on Aug 10.

Sydney