GSMA, WCO sign agreement to combat mobile device fraud

The Global System for Mobile telecommunications Association (GSMA) and the World Customs Organisation (WCO) have agreed to collaborate in the fight against the counterfeiting and fraudulent trading of mobile devices.

The partnership will focus on the integration of the GSMA’s mobile device database with the WCO’s IPM mobile platform that will give customs officers global, real-time product information on devices enabling them to assess the authenticity of device shipments as they cross borders. The move is intended to improve cross-border trade procedures, assist with the rapid detection of counterfeit goods and secure the international trade supply chain.

Chief Executive Officer, GSMA, John Hoffman, said the trading of counterfeited mobile devices is a global issue that has a number of severe consequences to its victims, such as safety concerns related to the release of substandard devices, as well as an impact on the reputation and revenue of rights holders.

Hoffman said the collaboration with the WCO will allow customs officers to access the most accurate information available on bonafide devices, helping in the fight against the trade of counterfeit devices.

The GSMA administers the allocation of International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEIs) numbers via Type Allocation Codes (TAC) and runs the world’s authoritative database of registered devices.

The WCO’s IPM web and mobile platform is a global security gateway that allows customs officers to verify the authenticity of products online. It also allows manufacturers or rights holders to share relevant product information, which is made available in real time to customs organisations and can be added to their consignment checking procedures.

Secretary General, World Customs Organization, Kunio Mikuriya, said the integration of the GSMA database into our IPM platform is an important step in the fight against counterfeit and illicitly traded mobile devices.

“We are very proud to be able to work in partnership with the GSMA as well as manufacturers of mobile devices, making available to customs officers around the world, through our IPM platform, information and product details that can effectively assist our day-to-day operations,” he said.

The partnership will combine GSMA device data with rights holders’ interfaced data pools, as well as the unique information a rights holder has uploaded into IPM, enabling customs officers to scan and verify the IMEI codes of mobile devices and make instant and informed decisions.