INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
ANGELES CITY, Pampanga — Police officers arrested a 49-year-old Chinese man on Tuesday, June 20, after allegedly selling counterfeit iPhone units to two residents in this city.
In a statement on Thursday, the Police Regional Office 3 (PRO3) identified the arrested foreigner as Zeng Yunshi, who resides in Metro Manila.
PRO3 director Brigadier General Jose Hidalgo said the Angeles City police had received a complaint from a female resident about the iPhone 14 Pro Max she recently bought from Zeng for only P11,000.
The said phone model retails for more than P70,000.
According to the complainant, the suspect assured her that the phone was authentic but turned out to be only a clone.
The city police then conducted an entrapment operation against Zeng with the help of the complainant’s friend, who contacted the suspect to buy an iPhone unit.
Investigators said the two agreed to meet at Pandan village in this city.
When the Chinese man handed over the phone to the supposed buyer, undercover police officers, who posted themselves in the area, arrested the suspect, who was detained and faces charges for fraud.
Hidalgo reminded the public to be vigilant against scammers who lure would-be victims by offering cheap “factory direct” products.
He said the regional police had been monitoring fraud and scam activities and have sought the cooperation of victims to put perpetrators behind bars. INQ