Russia

An elaborate iPhone scam has been running rampant in Russia. People have been pawning off fake iPhones as the real deal for cash. Scammers approach users with an elaborate fake iPhone, usually pretending to be in a big rush, asking to trade it for money to, for example, buy a train ticket.

Russia got the iPhone 3G on October 3rd under MTS, Vimpelcom, and MegaFon, the country's largest carriers, but they still have a lot of waiting to do before they get access to the iTunes Store. While the agreement between the carriers and Apple was reached, an agreement on App Store access has yet to be reached.

Negotiations have been finalized and a launch date has been set. It's official: the iPhone 3G will go on sale in Russia on October 3rd. The device will be locked to the nation's largest wireless carriers, MTS, Vimpelcom, and MegaFon, and will be available through multiple retailers, including Eldorado, M.video, and Tekhnosila.

In a teeny-tiny, itty-bitty little statement from the company, Russian carrier MegaFon confirmed that they are at least in talks with Apple for the iPhone, if not already finished. The sales of iPhone in Russia will start this year," the company said in a statement.
[via Reuters]

According to Bloomberg News, Apple may be nearing an agreement with OAO VimpelCom and OAO MegaFon, Russia's second and third largest wireless carriers, to finally bring the iPhone 3G to Russia officially. Rumor has it that they may start selling the device as early as this week, with Apple hoping both companies buy over a million phones each.

Russian news site Vedomosti claims that Yevgeny Butman, the Moscow director of Apple IMC, told them the iPhone 3G will be going on sale in Russua starting next year. Little information is currently available, but carrier Megafona says they're in talks with Apple to be the sole iPhone carrier. A Russian iPhone launch should be very interesting, given that it is estimated that 470,000 unlocked iPhones are currently in use there.
[Vedomosti via Unwired View]