TORONTO – Police have laid six charges against a 21-year-old man who allegedly duped people into buying empty iPhone 6 boxes.
Police said two members of the public contacted a man purporting to sell new iPhone 6 models on the popular classifieds website Kijiji.
In the first incident, on Jan. 17, a 20-year-old buyer met the seller near Islington Avenue and Dixon Road to purchase a phone. The buyer paid cash for what appeared to be a sealed iPhone box, but opened the box to find rice and no iPhone.
On Feb. 6, a 27-year-old buyer met a man near Albion Road and Kipling Avenue and paid cash for a sealed iPhone box, police say. He also found the box full of rice.
On Feb. 10, police arrested Gyimah Andrews Boateng, 21, of Toronto.
He is charged with two counts apiece of Fraud Under $5,000, False Pretence Under $5,000 and Breach of Court Order.
Police believe there may be other victims.
Anyone with information on the case is asked to contact Detective Constable Sylwia Swider at 416-808-2329 or sylwia.swider@torontopolice.on.ca, or submit an anonymous tip to Crime Stoppers at 416-222-TIPS (8477), online at www.222tips.com, or texting TOR and your message to CRIMES (274637).