A rise in the number of stolen handsets being offered to mobile phone recycling companies has led to 90% of the industry signing up to a new code of practice in a bid to tackle thieves.

Recycling companies encourage people to send in their old and unwanted handsets, which not only net sellers some useful cash, but help protect the environment by diverting the handsets from landfill. Unfortunately, profiteering criminals abuse the system by selling stolen handsets, some of which, such as iPhones, can fetch as much as £200.

Under the code, recycling companies are required to check all handsets offered to them for sale against the National Mobile Phone Register. The register is linked to three national databases; the industry database of blocked mobiles, the police database of mobiles reported stolen, and a voluntary public register of mobile ownership called Immobilise.

If a phone is found to be stolen, the recycling company will refuse to buy it and report the matter, along with the details of the would-be seller, to the police.

By joining forces with the police, the mobile phone industry has already helped solve significant offences, such as robberies and burglaries. The new system has even led to arrests for murder. Commander Simon Pountain, from the Association of Chief Police Officers, said that the industry’s use of the National Mobile Phone Register was a “great example of partnership working at its best for the benefit of the wider community”.

Nick Brown, chief executive officer of our client company, Envirofone, commented:

“We’ve been working closely with the Home Office on this very confusing and important issue to limit the opportunity for criminals to profit from fraudulently obtained, stolen or lost mobile phones.

Envirofone’s primary concern is protecting the consumer and correctly dealing with phones that may have been stolen. Previously, there was no industry standard on this issue – which risked leaving consumers confused and without any payment for a phone. The new Code of Practice will help us communicate in a transparent way with our customers and explain why a phone may not be suitable for recycling.

Importantly, all mobile phone recyclers will now have to operate under this code and consumers can rest assured that no one is profiting from stolen handsets, which unfortunately may have not been the case with some service providers in the past. Envirofone has always led the way on this issue, and now the consumer will have an easy way to make sure a phone recycler is acting appropriately.”

For more information about Envirofone, please see their website at www.envirofone.com

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