Stolen MTN Blackberry devices hit Nigeria, MTN warns

15th December, 2010 - 3:06 PM

Leading telecommunications company in Nigeria, MTN, has alerted the public to the presence of stolen and blacklisted MTN Blackberry devices in the Nigerian market. The Smartphone devices numbering 4,160 in total were recently stolen while being shipped to South Africa. ¿At least three different models of Blackberry devices were stolen by yet unknown persons in circumstances that are already being investigated by Research in Motion (RIM), makers of the Blackberry line of devices,¿ said Wale Goodluck, Corporate Services Executive, MTN Nigeria. According to Goodluck, when the theft was discovered, RIM suspended all the stolen devices from its platforms. As a result of this, the Blackberry devices cannot function optimally on any carrier¿s network anywhere in the world. ¿Unfortunately, some of these blacklisted devices have found their way into Nigeria through what is known as the `grey market¿, meaning through unauthorized sources. Worse still, a number of subscribers have unwittingly purchased some of the suspended phones. A couple of those affected have visited our Customer Assistance Centres to complain about loss of service on their Blackberry devices,¿ Goodluck said. He explained that it was the complaints from some of the affected subscribers that led MTN to institute an extensive investigation that culminated in despatching the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) numbers of the affected devices to RIM.

The response from RIM, Goodluck further explained, confirmed that the devices were stolen and blacklisted. ¿While MTN sympathises with the affected customers, the company is handicapped to restore data services to any of the blocked or blacklisted devices. This is why we are appealing to our teeming customers and the general public to ensure that they buy their MTN Blackberry devices directly from MTN Services centrs or any of its Connect Stores or authorised distributors. Please, do not buy MTN Blackberry devices from any other source, even if the said Blackberry devices clearly look new or are branded with MTN logo,¿ Goodluck warns. The models of Blackberry devices affected include 3,900 pieces of 8520 (Curve), 180 pieces of 8320 (Curve) and 80 pieces of 9000 (Bold). ¿We have forwarded the IMEI numbers of all the 4,160 stolen and blacklisted Blackberry devices to all our Customer Assistance Centres, where anyone in doubt can go and check to be sure they do not have a blacklisted Blackberry,¿ said Goodluck. He said the numbers will also be published in national newspapers for the benefit of our teeming customers. The International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI), a unique number given to every single mobile phone can be retrieved by dialling *#06# on your blackberry device.