Nokia sells Nigerian its one billionth phone

Dialling 419...

Nokia today said it had sold its one billionth mobile phone - in Nigeria.

According to the handset giant the milestone-making device was sold earlier this summer, and was a Nokia 1100.

You can just see how it might have happened:

To: [e-mail]
From: paul 'paul' arapmoi
Subj: YOUR BEATIFUL MOBILE NOKIA 1100 PHONE

DEAR SIR. HELLO. MY NAME IS paul 'paul' arapmoi FROM NIGERIA WEST AFRICA. I AM VERY INTERESTED IN YOUR NOKIA 1100. I WOULD LIKE TO BUY. I HAVE BIG MODELLOING CONTRACT WITH A MAJOR AGENCY IN USA. THEY WILL SEND ME (USA) ONE MILLION DOLLARS (USA). IT IS NOT EASY TO CASH A FOREIGN CHEQUE AT OUR LOCAL BANK HERE. IF YOU WILL HELP ME I CAN BUY YOUR BEAUTIFUL MOBILE PHONE NOKIA 1100. I WANT SEND YOUR THE CHEQUE ON YOUR NAME SO THAT WHEN YOU GET IT, YOU DEDUCT YOUR PAYMENT AND SEND THE EXCESS FUND TO ME IN NIGERIA VIA WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER FOR MY TICKET AND ALL OTHER EXPENSES. IF YOU ARE OK WITH ME GIVE ME YOUR FULL NAME, ADDRESS AND PHONE NUMBER THAT WILL BE ON THE CHEQUE. I WILL GIVE YOU EXTRA 100 (USA) DOLLARS (USA) FOR ALL YOUR EFFORTS TOWARDS THIS TRANSACTION. PLS REPLY ME AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

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To: Paul
From: [e-mail]
Subj: Re. YOUR BEATIFUL MOBILE NOKIA 1100 PHONE

Hi, Paul

Perfect. Here are the details you required (attached). Please respond with your address and we can get your Nokia 1100 out to you straight away.

Pleasure doing business with you. My boss, Kai Oistamo, who's senior VP for mobile phones here at Nokia, always says: "New growth markets like Nigeria will fuel the growth that will result in half the world's population being connected."

Enjoy!

Pekka

PS. I couldn't quite read your bank account number. Are the first three digits 419?