📲 10,000 Counterfeit Swapped at Apple Stores

📲 Duo Sentenced to 41 Months for Counterfeit iPhone and iPad Scam at Apple Stores

Two brothers get 41 months in federal prison for running an 8-year-long scheme of getting 10,000 fake iPhones and iPads replaced with real ones at Apple Stores.

It’s normally pretty easy to get your broken iPhone replaced at Apple’s Genius Bar under your AppleCare plan, but a (criminally) enterprising sibling duo found a way to trick the system by swapping counterfeit devices with real ones.

San Diego residents Zhimin and Zhiting Liao (also known as Jimmy and Allen Liao) netted themselves around $6.1 million of genuine Apple products, including iPhones and iPads, that they ended up exporting to buyers in foreign countries.

Zhimin Liao had personally visited 105 Apple Stores in 22 states to try and exchange about 720 fake iPhones and iPads. Zhiting Liao’s quest involved about 718 device swap attempts in at least 200 Apple Stores in 18 US states and Canada.

🏠 Flexible Living Leader Habyt Rapidly Expanding with 30,000 Units in 50 Cities Globally

Do you dream of living in different cities around the world without being tied down by long-term contracts or expensive rents?

If so, you might want to check out Habyt, a startup that offers flexible long-term accommodation for nomads and remote workers.

Habyt lets you stay in one of their 30,000 units across 50 cities globally for six to nine months, giving you enough time to explore the local culture, cuisine, and nightlife. You can also enjoy perks like co-working spaces, community events, and discounts on local services.

Habyt has been growing like crazy in the past year, adding 25,000 units and 32 cities to its portfolio. It has also raised €40 million in Series C funding to keep expanding its presence across Europe, Asia, and North America.

Habyt is not just a cool idea, but also a profitable one.

The startup aims to break even by 2024 and become the leading platform for flexible long-term accommodation.

🛑 Indonesia Forces TikTok Shop Suspension to Safeguard Local Retail Interests

TikTok is suspending its online shopping service, TikTok Shop, in Indonesia.

Why? To comply with new rules aimed at protecting local retailers.

The government’s basically said, “E-commerce can’t be social media. It’s separate.” And TikTok, not wanting to ruffle any feathers, has agreed to comply.

But this isn’t just any market. Indonesia was the first country to pilot TikTok’s e-commerce service and has become one of its biggest markets with 125 million TikTok users, including 6 million sellers.

TikTok Shop had been growing its market share in Indonesia’s booming online retail sector, which is expected to reach 689 trillion Indonesian rupiah ($44bn) next year.

The suspension is a setback for TikTok, which has faced scrutiny in the US, EU, and UK over security concerns.

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