Lost or Stolen Phones – Protect Your Business with MobiCHECK®

Protecting your business against lost or stolen phones matters more than ever. According to recent data from Counterpoint Research, the refurbished smartphone market grew by 10% in 2018, with close to 140 million units sold worldwide.

The reason is clear. As the cost of new devices continues to rise, budget-conscious consumers who still want recent technology are turning to cheaper refurbished phones. At the same time, the used mobile phone market was expected to be worth more than $52 billion by 2020.

Retailers have noticed that opportunity. As a result, many high street businesses now buy unwanted mobiles and smartphones directly from the public so they can refurbish and resell them.

However, higher demand for second-hand phones also brings more theft and fraud. For businesses trading in used devices, lost or stolen handsets and post-purchase blocking can become major problems.

The latest ONS crime figures compiled from the Crime Survey for England and Wales show that more than 400,000 mobile phones were reported stolen in the 12-month period ending March 2017. That underlines the need for both consumers and retailers to check the history of a used device before buying it.

Anyone buying used mobile phones needs to know that the device has not been reported lost or stolen. Buyers also need to know that insurers or networks have not blocked or blacklisted it.

Protect Your Second-Hand Mobile Phone Stock from Post-Purchase Block

MobiCode helps businesses protect themselves against lost or stolen mobile phones.

MobiCHECK is our instant due-diligence solution. It checks a device against a range of independent datasets. That helps users reduce the risk of buying lost, stolen or blacklisted phones. Police forces and insurance companies across the UK trust the service, and retailers use it to help protect both stock and turnover.

MobiCHECK lets users check a device’s IMEI number instantly against multiple independent datasets, including the GSMA Global Blacklist Registry and law enforcement databases. Therefore, users can make buying decisions with more up-to-date information.

In addition, many of our customers operate on the high street. Because of that, we can create instant alerts across our outlet network and help reduce the time in which stolen devices can be sold.

Retailers and recyclers use our technology regularly. Insurers also use the software to challenge deceitful claims and identify higher-risk individuals. At the same time, police use it to support criminal convictions and monitor devices of interest for status.

Our data sharing ecosystem, SHARE, gives recyclers, police, insurers and operators access to more intelligence and exclusive data. As a result, it reduces the window of opportunity for criminals to profit from mobile device crime.

Our MobiCHECK solution has already helped protect more than £7 million worth of client stock. Well-known high street retailers across the country also use it.

To find out more about MobiCHECK and how it can help your business, visit our MobiCHECK website.