Macworld, Thai Fraudsters, and the iPhone Nano

With rumours of the iPhone Nano sweeping the internet in recent weeks, tech-heads widely expected Apple to announce the device at this year’s Macworld conference.

So confident were counterfeiters of an iPhone Nano unveiling that they started producing fake versions in Asian factories ready for release at the moment of Apple’s announcement.

The fraudsters hoped to make easy money taking advantage of the expected high-demand and short-supply at the Nano’s release.

Apple, however, was silent on the possibility of a smaller iPhone, leaving the fakers in the lurch.

The rip-off artists are now shipping their devices as far afield as Europe and the US in a bid to recoup their losses.

Counterfeit specialist Ian Shircore has warned buyers to beware.

What is inside these fake handsets is ‘anyone’s guess’, Shircore said.

When making counterfeit phones, it is exterior looks that are most important, he concluded.

Geek.com blogger Matthew Humphries commented that the counterfeiters were quick off the mark to distribute the fake handset after rumours of an imminent announcement, but it turned out to be a costly mistake.