The UK government has announced it will begin more rigorous inspections of recycled mobile phones in an effort to clamp down on the illegal recycling of stolen mobile handset units.
A new charter, which was agreed upon by the mobile phone recycling industry and the government, will be put in place to help curb the illegal sale of stolen mobiles. Nearly 100,000 stolen UK mobile phones are recycled and sold each year, in an illegal racket that has become worth more than £4 million.
Since stolen mobile phones have been banned from UK networks, the government has traced the problem back to legitimate recycling firms that have been selling the stolen devices. Many firms request that UK consumers hand in their mobile phones in exchange for incentives such as cash or discount vouchers. However, a new wave of criminals have emerged from this phenomenon, stealing mobile handsets to then turn in for money in exchange for recycling of the device.
After collection, recycling firms may sell the devices, which are sent overseas to developing countries to be used. In these countries, current technologies are not yet developed enough to flag a stolen mobile device making them easy to be used undetected.
Now the new government initiative will require recycling firms to check mobile phones received against a nationally established database, the National Mobile Phone Register. Phones that are highlighted as stolen against the database will have to be turned over to the government rather than sold.
The national database will directly link with the police database, where mobiles are reported stolen. Additionally, the database will also link to a public register, which is voluntary, and an industry database that flags blocked mobiles. Upon being discovered, recycling firms will be required to reject the purchase of the mobile handset from the client. Currently 90% of UK mobile phone companies have come on board with the strategy.
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