AT&T has sent a message to its retail staff curbing sales of iPhones to one per person, according to an alleged e-mail leak obtained by AppleInsider. The brief note, elaborating on an earlier note obtained by BGR, cuts the official limit from three to one. No exceptions are made in most for business users or for buyers of refurbished models, which recently opened up to both 8GB and 16GB models on AT&T's website.

Only directors and other higher-level staff are allowed to sell more than one iPhone at a time based on regional policies, the note reads. All customers are also required to pay by credit or debit cards, a move which Apple itself has previously used to discourage large-scale purchasing of iPhones to be unlocked and sold overseas.

The notice supports news a deepening supply issue with the devices that began with Apple's US retail stores and spread to both European stores as well as the company's own online stores. Apple has acknowledged the supply issues but hasn't said when it plans to restore a steady supply of its devices either on its site or at stores.