3 min read
Karachi is still dealing with robberies and street crimes
Mobile phone snatching is at the peak
Only CPLC or experts can check or restore original IMEI number
Patches phones proves starts from Rs 10,000
Karachi, Pakistan’s trading hub is facing a new problem where stolen mobile phones are being resold after a process called patching. The process will totally change the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) which prevents tracking, and hard to find the stolen phones. Karachi is considered as Pakistan’s biggest trade hub that is continuously dealing with street crimes and robberies since ages.
The mafia involve din the patching business snatches the phones and then resell the phone after changing its IMEI number so that it cannot be tracked. The person who sells the stolen phone just have to pay Rs 1000 or 500 to get its IMEI number changed.
According to the market sources, only IMEI number checking website, Citizens Police Liaison Committee (CPLC) or expert technicians can detect the real IMEI number of a patched phone.
The sources said that, ‘a patched mobile phone is available at a price of 10,000 to Rs 15,000 cheaper than the original price, and while buying such mobile phones, common citizens cannot identify the fraud’.
The engine or chassis of a stolen car can be tampered with in a similiar manner as in this fraud. The difference is that using software, it is simple to restore the mobile phone’s altered IMEI number, but it is challenging to restore the vehicle’s original chassis number.
The sources also said that Samsung’s Note Series, One Plus, Motorola, and other local mobiles are very normal phones that are patched by the mafia operating in Orangi town, Sakhi Hasan, Banaras, Quaidabad and Saddar.
The mafia is in contact with police and government forces, making it challenging to crackdown on such illegal trade. Another challenging and alarming situation is shopkeepers are selling such phones to people who have contact with police and government officials.
Moroever ,it has been reported that a huge number of seized mobile phones are snuggled from Karachi to Quetta by buses or cars. In addition, a big mafia is working in Quetta on such phones and have patching workshops. The mobile phones that cannot be patched are snuggled to Afghanistan.
People are requested to use IMEI checking website to verify the IMEI of the mobile phone while making a purchase. In case of any query, people can contact CPLC for any query or if facing any confusion.
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