The Wall Street Journal found that many of these iPhones had been ordered by AT&T customers. Some of the thieves eventually arrested by the long arm of the law were found to have a short list containing tracking numbers of iPhone shipments coming from AT&T. So this is why we’re not surprised about a video found on YouTube that shows how a couple had a scheme that allowed them to steal new iPhone models as they were being delivered.
How cops were able to bust a husband-wife team that intercepted iPhone deliveries
Unlike some of the other incidents, this one had some differences. While the previously mentioned phones that were stolen by porch pirates were legitimately ordered by
AT&T customers, in this case a consumer in Martin County, Florida had his identity stolen for the second time. Armed with the victim’s personal data, the thieves ordered an
iPhone 16 Pro Max from
AT&T for $1,200. The victim also started receiving emails from
AT&T confirming the purchase of the phone. The next email said the order had shipped and included a tracking number and an estimated delivery date.
The consumer called the Martin County cops. We should point out the six months before, the same exact thing happened to the same guy except that phones were ordered through T-Mobile and the delivery truck was intercepted. Using fake ID, the thieves were able to get the driver to hand over the phones to them. This time, armed with the tracking data, on the expected delivery date the cops called the UPS driver and confirmed that his current shipment contained an iPhone delivery to the victim’s address.
The cops told the driver to alert them if anyone tried to take the package. Additionally, unmarked police cars followed the UPS truck as the driver went about his daily routine. A vehicle stopped by the UPS truck attempting to cut it off. A woman approached the UPS driver which is when the cops pounced on her and her husband and arrested them.
If you order your iPhone from a U.S. carrier, make sure to opt in to “signature required”
We are only three months away from the unveiling of the iPhone 17 series and you need to be alert when you order an iPhone. Because of the popularity of the brand (in the U.S. especially), most thieves focus on stealing the iPhone as opposed to say, a Google Pixel handset or even a pricey Samsung Galaxy S Ultra model. That’s because it is easier for the thieves to convert a stolen iPhone into cash than a high-end Pixel phone.
If you do order a new iPhone-or any model really-from your carrier (they often have the best deals), make sure to arrange to have the package require a signature to be delivered. Verizon and T-Mobile won’t leave a package without a signature but as of last year, AT&T‘s default position was to allow phones to be delivered without a signature which makes them easier to steal.
Last year, AT&T noted that requesting that UPS collect a signature for a delivery would cost it an additional $7.50. It’s hard to believe that many iof these thefts could have been avoided had a huge corporation like AT&T spent an extra $7.50 on each iPhone shipped to a customer.
Hopefully, we don’t see another rash of such blatant rip-offs this year. It is frightening to consider that obtaining UPS tracking numbers of iPhones being shipped to AT&T subscribers could indicate the presence of rogue employees getting paid off to help a criminal enterprise conduct its “business.”
