Latest news with #FeiyangTimes
AU Financial Review
22-05-2025
- Business
- AU Financial Review
Inside the ‘stolen iPhone' building
In any other neighbourhood, the Feiyang Times building, a drab grey-and-brown tower in southern China, would be most notable for the gaudy, propaganda-plastered columns that line its forecourt. But like many of the electronics markets in the labyrinthine malls of Huaqiangbei, the fourth floor of the building has its own specialism: selling second-hand iPhones from Europe and the US.
Daily Mail
22-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Is this where YOUR stolen phone ended up? Inside China's 'stolen iPhone building' where devices snatched in the West are sold on the cheap in huge marketplace
An unassuming building in the bustling southern Chinese city of Shenzhen has become the largest hub for the stolen iPhone trade. Located in the city's Huaqiangbei electronic commercial street, the Feiyang Times building is known for selling second hand mobile devices from Western countries for cheap. Many are traded in by western consumers to network operators or to phone repair shops. But the tower's fourth floor has become synonymous with the illicit phone trade, where thousands of iPhones snatched by balaclava-clad thieves in Europe and the US end up, according to the Financial Times. China 's 'stolen iPhone building', is considered to be one of the most important hubs in a supply chain of second hand technology that starts in Europe and ends up in the global south. Hong Kong serves as a critical middleman in this supply chain where hundreds of second-hand device wholesalers are based, with many of them in a single industrial building in the Kwun Tong district. Phone traders from Shenzhen will make the short trip to the building on 1 Hung To Road to view wholesales quantities of phones, before purchasing them in online auctions and bringing them back to Huaqiangbei. This trade partly thrives thanks to Hong Kong's status as a free trade port, where traders can avoid heavy import taxes. Once back in Shenzhen, companies will advertise selling and buying phone with labels such as 'iCloud locked' on apps, as well as on WeChat, Facebook and Whatsapp. Buyers in Shenzhen will often dismantle these phones to resell their screens, chips and circuit boards. One Shenzhen-based phone seller told the FT: 'The passcode-locked ones were probably stolen in the US, then sold in Hong Kong, and sent to places like the Middle East.' Several victims of phone theft in the West have seen their mobile devices eventually end up in the Chinese city. Some have even received threatening messages from anonymous individuals in Shenzhen demanding they remove their phones from Apple's Find My iPhone system to make the phone more profitable in the resale market. Shenzhen is located in the south of China next to the border with Hong Kong. Known as the country's 'Silicon Valley' due to its expertise in electronics, Huaqiangbei is also home to large retail outlets selling used consumer goods. Videos on social media platform TikTok show the massive electronics market in Huaqiangbei, with clips showing varieties of mobile phones and electronic devices. The UK's Metropolitan Police estimated that phone theft in London is a £50 million-a -year industry. Cops said they seized 1,000 stolen devices and made 230 arrests related to phone theft in one week. Figures have shown that a mobile phone is reported as stolen in London every six minutes. There were almost 91,000 phones snatched from Londoners in 2022, at an average of 248 a day, with only two per cent of the stolen devices recovered. Criminals often target pedestrians in busy locations such as outside stations, shopping centres or concert venues, and usually approach from behind, meaning victims aren't aware of how vulnerable their phone is until it's too late. The worst-hit borough was the City of Westminster, where tourists flock for theatre shows and high-end shopping, with 18,863 reported incidents in the year to December - up 47 per cent from 12,836 in the previous 12 months. Camden was the second worst affected, with 4,806 incidents, followed by Southwark (4,376), Hackney (2,761), Newham (2,585), Lambeth (2,394) and Islington (2,117). In London as a whole more than 52,000 phones were stolen last year.
Phone Arena
21-05-2025
- Phone Arena
So, where do stolen iPhones go? Turns out, there's a whole building for that
Apparently, there's a building in Shenzhen that sports a rather curious nickname: "The stolen iPhone building". The unassuming Feiyang Times tower in Shenzhen's Huaqiangbei district has been found to have been a major hub in a global network of trafficking stolen iPhones, according to a Financial Times investigation (via MacRumors). Sam Amrani, a London tech entrepreneur, unfortunately, had his iPhone 15 Pro stolen. The device was taken by two men on electric bicycles. But Amrani did not hesitate, and he tracked the iPhone's journey using Apple's Find My. The iPhone ended up in a repair shop in London, then flew to Hong Kong, and finally, settled in Huaqiangbei. Amrani told the Financial Times that the process was quick, organized, and seemed "kind of targeted". In London, law enforcement estimates phone theft is a huge criminal activity, a £50 ($63.5 million) annual criminal industry. Similar estimates have been reported in Paris, France, and in New York. Now, back to the building in question. Reportedly, the fourth floor of the Feiyang building specializes in selling second-hand iPhones from Western countries. Yep, not all of these are stolen; some are legitimate phones that were traded in. However, traders have allegedly admitted that even remotely locked phones have their "market price." According to the FT investigation, Hong Kong is considered a critical intermediary in this supply chain. And more specifically, an industrial building at 1 Hung To Road in Kwun Tong is said to house hundreds of wholesalers advertising iPhones that are labeled "iCloud locked". Various messaging platforms allow the sellers to advertise those. Be careful when using your iPhone in a crowded place. | Image Credit - PhoneArena A Shenzhen-based seller that was visiting Hong Kong explained that the passcode-locked iPhones were probably stolen or snatched from users in the United States. These are, according to the seller's words, then sold to Hong Kong and then on to other countries, including countries in the Middle East. Basically, the Huaqiangbei building is especially valuable as there, thieves can find buyers for every iPhone component. This includes phone screens, circuit boards, and chips. Of course, if the iPhone is locked, it's impossible to use as a regular phone, but it can be taken apart and still be profitable for thieves if its parts get sold. Meanwhile, there are many theft victims who receive messages from people in Shenzhen, trying to urge them to remove the affected iPhone from Find My. Usually, when you put your iPhone in Lost Mode, a contact number for anybody finding the iPhone can be added, so it seems this is the main way these people find contact information. Understandably, they can use all sorts of scammy techniques to get the theft victim to remove the iPhone from Find My. If they manage to convince the user to do that, this would significantly increase the value of the stolen iPhone (as it could be sold as a functioning device, not for parts). According to the Financial Times report, this criminal network takes advantage of Hong Kong's status as a free trade port. As such, there are no import taxes, which means traders can move stolen devices into mainland China and avoid electronics tariffs. Meanwhile, the Hong Kong police has told the Financial Times that it will take action when necessary to respond to specific occurrences in accordance with the law. For any person who'd like to protect their iPhone from getting stolen and ending up in the "stolen iPhone building", here's some basic guidance. First off, avoid using your iPhone in crowded places where it can easily get snatched (this includes not having your iPhone in your back pocket at the subway). Always be aware of your surroundings when outside and using your iPhone, especially if it's brand new. If, after all, your iPhone ends up falling prey to a sneaky thief, don't remove it from Find My following dubious requests for you to do so. At least, the thief shouldn't be able to sell it as a functioning iPhone. Here's more information on how to protect your iPhone from thieves and scammers.
