{"id":348923,"date":"2026-10-22T17:09:41","date_gmt":"2026-10-22T16:09:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/?p=348923"},"modified":"2026-10-22T17:09:41","modified_gmt":"2026-10-22T16:09:41","slug":"irans-phone-scandal-leaves-consumers-paying-for-a-system-the-state-failed-to-police","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/news\/irans-phone-scandal-leaves-consumers-paying-for-a-system-the-state-failed-to-police\/","title":{"rendered":"Iran\u2019s Phone Scandal Leaves Consumers Paying for a System the State Failed to Police"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Mobile shop in Tehran, Iran\u2019s capital<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Three-minute read<\/span><\/i><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Thousands of Iranians who bought mobile phones through the domestic market are discovering that their devices can suddenly lose network access\u2014not because they tampered with them, but because Iran\u2019s state-controlled registration system failed to stop irregular devices before they were sold.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The latest controversy involves phones activated with manipulated or borrowed IMEI identifiers, including identifiers reportedly belonging to payment terminals. Industry estimates cited in Iranian state media put the number of suspicious devices in the tens of thousands, while reports this week said around 10,000 phones had already lost service.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

That would be damaging in any economy. In Iran, it comes as households are being crushed by inflation. The Statistical Center\u2019s September figures showed consumer prices 89.8% higher than a year earlier, with annual inflation at 73.6%. State media specifically noted that <\/span>soaring mobile-phone<\/span><\/a> prices helped drive inflation in communications.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A System Designed to Prevent Exactly This<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Iran\u2019s Hamta registry was created to ensure that every handset operating on domestic networks entered legally and paid the required duties. Yet Tasnim reported this month that the system is again confronting large-scale manipulation. In the latest scheme, legally registered identifiers from other equipment\u2014including POS terminals\u2014were allegedly used to activate phones.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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#Corruption<\/a> and Embezzlement Surface in #Iran<\/a> as Kourosh Company\u2019s iPhone Ponzi Scheme Collapseshttps:\/\/t.co\/QkDosVgq4I<\/a><\/p>\n

— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) February 20, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n