REGULARS are being warned not to buy mobile phones from pubs or market stalls after trading standards seized £35,000 of fake goods.
Officers seized 68 counterfeit Samsung Galaxy phones and accessories after a tip-off.
They fear that some handsets may have already been sold for cash and are warning the public to only buy mobile phones from reputable sources.
Essex county councillor Roger Walters said: “Our advice is that people should never hand over cash to people selling mobile phones in the pub or on a market.
“You should also be very careful when buying mobile phones from internet trading sites such as eBay.
“You never know whether the phones are the real thing or if they’ve been stolen. They don’t come with any guarantees either.”
Essex Trading Standards will now start an investigation to find out where the phones come from and who they belong to.
Anyone with information, or who fears they may have bought a counterfeit phone should contact Citizens Advice Consumer Service 03454 04 05 06 who can provide advice and pass details on to Trading Standards.
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