Since last yr, I've lost 3 phones amounting to over 150k. So far, I've only managed to keep track of one that is used by an mpesa guy who keeps on travelling all over the country, has over 10 registered simcards and more than 3 phones.
Luckily, I've insured everything I own and this carters for my losses.
Right now, I chatting with a guy who is selling a HTC ONE for 40k.
My take is, never buy any electronic unless the original box is provided for you to compare the serial.
I know a guy who sells S4's for less than 30k and they move like hot cake.
On Wednesday, 20 November 2013, Christine Mutheu Kisilu wrote:
Lets not even go far, away from the the online market you should take a walk down mfangano street for one... those shops doing "phone repairs" are only but a cover up. Yes they do repairs but that is where the black market is thriving. Those that steal are nothing but a means to an end and really make little money... Because they are just small time criminals looking for little cash to buy their ext drug of choice... most of the times they even have no clue of the worth of the stolen phone... the middle man is now the one that makes most.. he might end buying a phone are throw away price and puts it up for a very huge mark up... they also know whom to buy a phone from and whom not to trust... they do have a network of the pickpockets whom they trust... this is because they have to be careful least they get "simu moto" - phone stolen from criminal scene whereby the CID can track it. So they never just buy phones from anyone. they also sell such phones to people who will be leaving the country and let you know if the phone is hot or not so that you cannot switch it on in Kenya. They always have cash all the time coz these merchandise is unpredictable. such middle men are the rich ones and make the most. Unfortunately to us, we are the ignorant fools who buy such phones and in case of tracking the buyer is the one that pays the price. and well you are not able to pinpoint the person whom you bought it from and are therefore thrown into jail for the crime in case someone was killed for it. Well i have tried to get an article the nation media ran on the black market early this year, but i cant seem to trace it. It would have explained the market better. But it is huge and thriving, esp on the downtown streets, of river road, mfangano and the rest. In the meantime here is an article about the middle man.