2 weeks ago
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Nigeria’s smartphone country is buzzing again — this clip implicit claims of “upgraded iPhones” sold arsenic the latest models. The speech precocious exploded aft socialite and tech entrepreneur Blord was accused by activistic VeryDarkMan (VDM) of selling cosmetically upgraded iPhone XR models arsenic iPhone 17 Pros.
While the videos and back-and-forth person gone viral, the contention has besides shed airy connected the hidden dangers down these “refurbished-to-new” iPhones flooding the market. Here’s what each purchaser should know.
1. Case Incompatibility: Looks Can Be Deceiving
One large giveaway is the casing. A telephone upgraded from an iPhone XR to an iPhone 17 Pro whitethorn look identical to Apple’s latest merchandise — sleek frame, caller camera bump, and shiny decorativeness — but the dimensions don’t match.
Cases and surface protectors made for genuine iPhone 17s won’t acceptable properly. Even if you unit them, they won’t support the device’s astir susceptible points — similar the camera bump oregon surface edges.
2. Compromised Security
Many of these repackaged iPhones originate from unverified workshops successful China. According to VeryDarkMan, who visited 1 specified factory, aged iPhones are stripped down, cosmetically upgraded, and sold arsenic newer models.
Phones from specified sources airs superior information risks — including imaginable malware, tampered chips, oregon spyware susceptible of stealing idiosyncratic information, Apple ID details, oregon login credentials.
3. No Software Updates
No substance however caller the casing looks, the telephone wrong remains an older exemplary — often an iPhone XR. This means it cannot tally the latest iOS, leaving users stuck connected outdated versions.
That translates to missing retired connected caller features, improved performance, and indispensable information patches, leaving the instrumentality progressively susceptible implicit time.
4. Low-Quality Replacement Parts
VeryDarkMan’s mill footage besides revealed however these “upgraded” phones are assembled — with inexpensive third-party parts.
For example, batteries are often “boosted” to amusement 100% wellness utilizing inexpensive tools costing arsenic small arsenic ₦2,000, without really improving artillery quality.
Such parts thin to overheat, drain quickly, oregon neglect wrong months, and whitethorn adjacent harm the logic committee oregon disable Face ID and wireless charging.
5. No Official Apple Support
Once a telephone is modified extracurricular Apple’s ecosystem, it’s nary longer eligible for authoritative enactment oregon warranty. Apple’s diagnostic systems volition not recognise it, meaning nary escaped repairs, replacements, oregon method assistance.
If thing goes wrong, owners are near with roadside technicians — often making the occupation worse.
6. Pricing Controversy and Consumer Deception
Blord claimed helium sells these “upgraded iPhone 17 Pros” for astir ₦400,000–₦450,000, saying they’re rebuilt successful China with high-quality craftsmanship.
However, VDM alleged akin refurbished phones could beryllium bought straight from China for ₦280,000, accusing Blord of overpricing and misleading buyers.
While Blord defended his pricing arsenic a reflection of prime assurance and logistics costs, the statement highlights a bigger contented — Nigerians paying premium prices for devices that aren’t genuinely new.
7. Misrepresentation Risks
If what’s being sold is so an iPhone XR successful an iPhone 17 shell, buyers are not conscionable overpaying — they’re being misled by cosmetic upgrades.
This ties straight to user extortion concerns: fake exemplary numbers, tampered serial codes, and missing Apple certifications.
The Blord–VeryDarkMan saga has exposed an uncomfortable information astir Nigeria’s telephone market: galore “new” devices are conscionable aged models successful caller skins.
These cosmetically upgraded iPhones mightiness look similar the existent woody but travel with hidden costs, information risks, and zero warranty.
English (US) ·