Over 100 phones bought from the same shop in UP shut down together, probe on as customers protest

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Panic and outrage erupted in Uttar Pradesh's Saharanpur on Saturday after more than 100 phones purchased from a single mobile store abruptly reset, wiped user data and then became unusable.

Most buyers were young customers who had bought the phones on monthly instalments, and the sudden malfunction triggered suspicion of large-scale fraud, media reports said.

According to affected buyers, the devices functioned normally for 10–15 days before freezing on the “Hello” startup screen, the display that appears when a device is factory reset. Attempts to restart, unlock, or restore the phones reportedly failed. Several users claim they lost all personal data stored on the devices.

Soon after the shutdown, dozens of frustrated customers gathered outside the shop, accusing the owner of selling refurbished and counterfeit iPhones disguised as new ones.

Instead of offering support, the shopkeeper allegedly demanded ₹2,000–₹3,000 extra from each customer to “fix” the issue, despite many of the phones being under instalment agreements.

According to a report by Navbharat Times, Ali, a resident of Dabki Junardar, said he bought an iPhone Pro model for ₹45,000 and had been paying instalments on time, only for the phone to stop working without warning. Ali said that the shopkeeper now wants more money to repair something he already paid for.

Another buyer, Ajmal from Gokalpur, claimed he purchased an iPhone 13 Pro for the same price just three days ago, only to later learn the device was fake. He said that when it stopped working and he confronted the shopkeeper, he said he had changed the motherboard and now extra money must be paid.

Amit, another affected user, said his first phone malfunctioned due to a camera defect two months earlier and was replaced by the shop. The replacement device has now also shut down. Amit also confirmed that the shopkeeper keeps asking for extra money all the time.

Local residents say this is not the first instance of such mass shutdowns. A similar wave of phone failures reportedly occurred around two weeks ago, but customers believed at the time that it was a software glitch.

Authorities intervened after tensions escalated outside the store. Police from Kotwali station dispersed the crowd and received multiple written complaints.

Speaking to reporters, First CO Munish Chandra said the matter appears linked to a finance-related dispute but added that all allegations, including claims of counterfeit sales, are being investigated. He said that appropriate action will be taken on the basis of available evidence.