WELCOME

ALONG WTH EVERYTHING ELSE, FAKE MOBILE PHONES ARE AMONG US ON EBAY

ESPECIALLY COMMON ARE THE TOP SELLING PHONES E.G. N95, G800, 8600 LUNA, 8800, SIROCCO ETC.

PLEASE READ ON. . . .

It is common knolwedge that many top brand products on eBay, especially in the apparel industry, are counterfeit. The number of counterfeit products on eBay seems to be increasing daily, as little can be done to stop these determined sellers from flooding the online marketplace with cheap fakes from China.

Until recently, it was widely believed that counterfeit products were limited to certain categories. However, a new addition to this trade seems to be mobile phones. Below is a quick guide on how to tell if a seller is selling a genuine / fake phone, and the quick advantages and disadvantages of these phones.

How to tell

Firstly, it is quite important to note that it is mostly the high end, or highly sought after mobile phones that are being copied and sold on eBay (makes sense as they're most profitable for the seller).

Generally, these counterfeit phones are being sold by sellers registered in a different country (quite common is the U.S). They claim to ship their items from the US, though they are not, they're actually shipping direct from China. Alternatively, the seller could indeed be registered in the UK, though if by reading the listing terms, or shipping terms, you will notice that the delivery time is in the region of 14 working days, or that it is not very clear at all, and it just says 'dispatch time from our warehouse...' or something similar. If either of the above features are evident in the listing of a phone, walk away, as most likely, it's fake.

Another distinctive feature is that somewhere, in small and hardly visible writing, will be the words 'MADE IN CHINA'. This again is a subtle sign, which will tell you that the phone you're buying is not original.

Furthermore, another distinctive factor is the warranty terms. All new mobile phones come with a standard 1 year warranty from the manufacturer. Some sellers are selling the phones with a 1 year warranty, at the normal market price, though their warranty terms state that in the event of a fault, you have to send the phone overseas, or back to the seller, rather than the manufacturer. NO SELLER WOULD OFFER YOU THIS UNLESS THEY ARE SELLING FAKES.

One major giveaway is the PRICE. An exmaple: 8gb Nokia N95 BNIB would set you back around £250. Yet you will find sellers, 'direct from USAI' that are selling ir for £130 delivered to your door. It's absolutely impossible! Of course there are sellers selling fake phones at market value, in which case it's difficult to tell, especially if any of the above features are not present in their listing.

Also, apart from the listing, it is good to ask questions; often these sellers cannot speak very good english, and their replies are direct to your email address rather than through eBay, and are copied / pasted answers or specifications. Aso, their feedback may be private, and they may have chanegd their ID several times in the last year or so.

A fake phone at £150 discount, is there anything actually wrong with it?

I must admit, these phones are quite good value for money. They mimic most of the original's features, and have the same layout / similar operations. For the example above, many people would be tempted even if they knew it was fake, at such a price.

However, there are certain things to bear in mind. These phones most probably have not been checked, they have not passed any testing, so could be a safety hazard / fire hazard. The battery would be of poor quality, and may leak harmful checmicals. The charger can also be a fire hazard. The cheap quality earphones may also be harmful in the long term to your hearing.

On first inspection, though the phone may look impressive, after a few weeks, colour & logos may fade, and may fall apart.

Summary

It can be very difficult spotting these fake phones on eBay. Always bear in mind the above features in a seller's listing / feedback profile.

If possible, ask for the phone's IMEI number.

Most Important: STAY VIGILANT, AND QUESTION EVERYTHING.

Thank you for reading my guide. Any questions please feel free to contact me.

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