£35k Of Fake Phones Seized In West Essex

12 November 2014, 08:53 | Updated: 12 November 2014, 08:56

£35,000 worth of fake mobile phones and accessories have been seized in west Essex.

Trading Standards officers found nearly 70 counterfeit Samsung Galaxy handsets at a parcel hub yesterday following a tip-off.

Cllr Roger Walters, Essex County Council Trading Standards Lead 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 E-bay.  You never know whether the phones are the real thing or if they've been stolen. They don't come with any guarantees either."

"They may seem like a bargain at the time, but that's not the case when they go wrong."

Essex Trading Standards will now start an investigation to find out where the phones come from and who they belong to.

Anyone with information, who thinks they may have been offered one of the phones or fears they may have bought one should contact Citizens Advice Consumer Service 03454 04 05 06 who can provide advice and pass details on to Trading Standards.