Counterfeit iPhones sold on Marketplace and Kijiji
Fake iPhones at prices that seem like a lucky find are being sold to buyers across Durham. They look real until you try to use them.
How it works
Durham police warned in April 2026 about counterfeit iPhones being sold through Facebook Marketplace and Kijiji. The listings use a low price to draw buyers in, and the phones are convincing copies: the right box, the right look, sometimes a working screen. The problems show up afterwards, when the phone will not activate, cannot update, or turns out to be running something that is not iOS at all. By then the seller's profile is gone.
What to do
- If the price is well under what a used iPhone normally sells for, assume something is wrong.
- Police suggest meeting the seller at an Apple Store so staff can verify the phone before you pay. A real seller will not mind.
- Exchange in a safe public place, check the serial number in the phone settings, and never pay a deposit to hold a phone you have not seen.
Sources
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