iPod scammer gets 13-month prison sentence
updated 03:00 pm EDT, Wed August 26, 2009
iPod scammer sentenced
A 23-year-old man who exploited Apple's warranty program has been sentenced to 13 months in prison, according to the Kalamazoo Gazette. Nicholas Woodhams of Portage, Michigan recently plead guilty to charges of mail fraud and money laundering; in addition to his prison time, he will have to pay $648,568 in compensation to Apple, and another $8,066 to the US Postal Service. Woodhams has been forced to surrender his house, an Audi sedan, a Honda motorcycle and over $570,000 in funds.
Prosecutors charge that in the span between March 2006 and October 2007, Woodhams successfully guessed the serial numbers of over 9,000 iPod shuffles still under warranty. These were entered into a website for Apple's return program, and used to request replacement iPods, then sold online for $49 apiece. "This was not a victimless crime," notes attorney Donald Davis, insisting that "because the costs of fraud are borne by both the consumer and the taxpayer, perpetrators of such crimes must be held accountable."
Wrong punishment
08/26, 03:17pm reply
He successfully guessed the numbers?
Good boy. Don't throw him in jail, get him a job with MS!
lolz
manleycreative
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Joined: Sep 2005
holy c***
08/26, 03:17pm reply
prison plus they took everything he owns, it sounds like...
climacs
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Joined: Sep 2001
far more punishment
08/26, 03:20pm (1 reply) reply
than any of the Wall Street b******* who helped sink our economy will ever get.
climacs
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Joined: Sep 2001
Really....
08/26, 03:55pm reply
Over 9000... 4chan memes? really....
Lol. Anyways he must have been really talented in order to "guess" all those serial numbers...
Bensawsome
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Joined: Aug 2009
I find it amusing
08/26, 04:05pm reply
all the ads MS is buying on ipodnn.com to solicit developers.
I hope it's all wasted money by MS.
climacs
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Joined: Sep 2001
Re: I find it amusing
08/26, 05:40pm reply
You think they're really buying time on MacNN? More like they bought ad space through some third-party who's putting it on various web sites.
And, seriously, you can actually read MacNN, etc. without an ad-blocker? The ads are so over-powering, amazing anyone can read it and seeing those things.
testudo
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Joined: Aug 2001
Petty Crime doesn't pay
08/27, 02:21am reply
is the message here (and no, I don't think a half-mil plus is "petty," but compared to Wall Street? It's pocket change).
I'm glad this scammer got what he richly deserved. I just wish the people who go WAY bigger than this idiot got what THEY deserved.
But a little victory for good nonetheless, and the punishment was severe enough that copycats will likely be put off.
chas_m
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Joined: Aug 2001
White collar crimes pay
08/27, 04:56pm reply
Wow... I can't believe they threw the book at this guy... To date I don't think anyone was put in jail for causing the financial melt down in the U.S. but this guy is going to jail and paying more than half a mill???
bleee
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Joined: Mar 2002