AT&T Cracks Down on Prepaid Mobile Phone Thefts

It is difficult for phone companies to keep track of how people misuse their services and it costs them money when a service is abused. This crime however has become something that AT&T is attempting to stop.

People will do anything to make a buck and often this leads them into thinking that they will not get caught for doing something illegal. AT&T has decided they've had enough and they have started lawsuits against those people who are stealing their prepaid mobile phones.

The way this crime works is that people will purchase prepaid mobile phones and then resell them. By the time they sell the phones to someone else, they have damaged them by hacking into the software. They remove all identifying information from the phone including packaging, warranties and any manuals then put them on the street for sale.

Many consumers, though they should be wary, go ahead and purchase these phones thinking they are covered by AT&T warranties. Honestly, we can't understand why consumers buy these but it is probably because they are cheap.

Many Americans and others who are tourists in a country want bargains and great deals. When they are presented with a package like this, they can't resist. Then they have the nerve to get upset when AT&T won't warrant the defective product. Go figure.

AT&T is going after the culprits because they see that in the long run this may cost consumers more money. According to Judy Cavalieri, their VP or marketing, who is also head of their prepaid phone products marketing, they are being aggressive in the fight to find these criminals and put them away.

Most people who use prepaid plans legitimately know that they are basically disposable phones or you can keep them and add more time to them as you need to which makes them very convenient. This also makes them available for short term situations where you don't need a phone all the time.

The nice part is if you use a GoPhone handsets and you have purchased it legitimately, it comes with discounts automatically.

AT&T Wins Their Lawsuits

Be warned also if you are working with anyone from Fone Xchange. This is an illegal operation and AT&T has already gone to court with Rafiq Wazir Ali, the owner of this operation, and received a final injunction and judgment against him. He is no longer available to sell these phones.

The nice part is that AT&T received $5 million in damages from the U.S. District Court. Whether they will receive the money remains to be seen, but it often is more important to send the message rather than getting the money for them we would imagine.

AT&T has several other lawsuits pending in courts in New York, Texas and Florida. They are actively pursuing stopping these people and bringing them to justice. The question is, "How much will it ultimately cost consumers?"