Released on: September 22, 2008, 9:47 am

Press Release Author: Howard Schwartz-Director of Communications, BBB CT

Industry: Consumer Services

Press Release Summary: Thieves targeting new technology consumers

Press Release Body: Wallingford, CT - September 22, 2008 – Connecticut BBB warns
that some consumers who try to avoid long lineups to buy the latest high-tech
devices are playing into the hands of crooks.

CT BBB President, Paulette Hotton Scarpetti says cheats rely on consumers’
impatience to buy the hottest technology.

“Some consumers turn to the Internet for what they believe will be either a good
price or fast service, and in the end may end up with little more than regret to
show for it.”

The most recent example of consumer rip-offs involving introduction of high tech
devices is the iPhone.

Eager buyers trying to avoid lineups to buy the devices were cheated out of their
money by scammers who set up phony web sites, posed as legitimate retailers and even
posted ads on online social networking sites such as craigslist.com.

Typically, victims were asked to wire payment for the phone to the scammers, and of
course, the iPhones never arrived. In one case, NYPD recently busted up a ring of
thieves who posted ads online, and when would-be buyers came to pick up their
“merchandise,” they were robbed.

Even people who bought their iPhones at legitimate dealers ended up with an
expensive, though worthless piece of equipment when they paid online vendors for
instructions on how to “unlock” their phones or purchased unapproved applications
(Apps).

A legion of Web sites have cropped up, all promising to sell Apps at discounted
prices. BBB strongly advises consumers to stay away from Web sites promising deals
on Apps as these sites are most likely a ruse, set up only to take a consumer’s
money and offering nothing in return, and could potentially be sites that install
viruses or malware onto a user’s computer for identity theft purposes.

For more advice on how to avoid getting ripped off when going after the latest
technology, go to www.bbb.org.
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Web Site: http://www.bbb.org

Contact Details: Connecticut Better Business Bureau
94 South Turnpike Rd.
Wallingford, CT 06492
203-269-2700 ext 103