TEHRAN: Iran’s cyber police issued an iPhone scam warning on Saturday after sellers advertised cheap phones as cargo recovered from a shipwreck.
Police advised buyers to inspect the goods and check sellers’ identities before paying deposits or advance fees. Advertisements in Tehran offered Apple’s iPhone 18 at unusually low prices.
Sellers described the devices as “war booty” supposedly recovered near the Strait of Hormuz. Meanwhile, social media videos appeared to show phones and expensive perfumes floating in the water as people collected them.
Those images do not establish the origin of the advertised devices. Police warned that fraudsters could use the shipwreck story to sell non-existent stock.
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They could then collect deposits or delivery charges before cutting contact. However, the risks extend beyond fake listings.
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Police cautioned that even genuine phones exposed to seawater could develop hidden damage. Iran’s cyber police urged buyers to inspect discounted phones and verify sellers before paying.
