Some people don't think they can live without their cell phones and that's exactly what makes them targets for a pricey scam that landed one Miami Beach man in jail.
Authorities said Devon Courtney Martin stole the identities of several Verizon customers and used the personal information to order big shipments of iPhone 4 devices so that he could resell them.
He would call Verizon and ask for new phones, providing accurate billing information like addresses and cell phone numbers, Miami Beach Police said.
Martin is currently charged with grand theft, identity theft and organized scheme to defraud.
Such schemes are big business in South Florida, but often target people out of state, Det. Vivian Hernandez said.
Martin used Facebook and other social networks to get information on victims in Ohio and had Verizon ship the iPhones to an address in Miami Beach, she said.
Nina Kerber, who lives in the Midwest, alerted authorities that fraudulent charges had been placed on her account, which led police to Martin.
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"I feel very violated because we protect our identity and our information very well," she said.
Hernandez said when police caught up to Martin, he had seven new iPhones on him.
