Warning: Fake 01 Phone sold in China

Posted by Katherine Hannaford on Mon 11 May 2009

One Australian reader learns about Chinese scams the hard way...

The T3-designed 01 Phone has received a considerable amount of attention from readers, with hundreds of thousands of page views, hundreds of emails and comments, and even several phone calls from interested readers wanting to buy one.

It seems that a Chinese website got a little carried away with their enthusiasm of our prototype mobile phone, with a reader in Adelaide, Australia, contacting us last week to warn of Cnuncn.com's misleading advert for an 01 Phone. It's being advertised for 505 Euros, or 485 Euros to VIP members of the site, and unfortunately the reader had learned the hard way, after doing a bank transfer of $990AU, or 505 Euros for the phone. He of course didn't receive an 01 Phone, because they don't exist yet.

The website Cnuncn.com is not authorised to sell 01 Phones on behalf of T3, as the phone is merely a prototype that we've created, to urge the industry into creating better handsets for consumers. Whilst we've got a 3D prototype built, and are in the midst of talks with manufacturers in the Far East to actually get it onto the production line, both T3 and design firm The Alloy have not made any handsets you can buy - especially on this illegal website.

The reader, who shall remain anonymous, said in an email: "I thought I would take the time to inform you of a company in China that is scamming people out of their money by utilising your company T3 as its affiliate bona fides. I would expect that you would want to take action quickly by warning others against purchasing the 01 phone from them before the experience of buying the 01 is ruined for others", and forwarded the emails, false tracking number and contact details for the person behind Cnuncn.com, prompting us to contact our legal department.

So no matter how much you want an 01 Phone, you'll just have to wait. Anyone offering them for sale is as trustworthy as Ronnie Biggs on a mail train. You have been warned.

Link: The 01 Phone

01 Phone: New video and photos of T3's concept mobile