Knowing how to check a Samsung phone for originality, you can avoid counterfeiting and get a smartphone with full functionality, high-quality hardware and software. The main sources of non-original devices are factories in Taiwan and China, which fill the market with analogues that have a lower price. It is the cost that attracts users who rarely know how to distinguish an original from a counterfeit device. Below we will look at how to check whether a Samsung is real without complex tests and directly at the point of purchase.
Service code
The easiest way to check whether a Samsung phone is original is to use a special secret code. Each company has a character set that launches a built-in menu for technical settings. If it is available, then the phone is genuine.
To check the originality of your Samsung smartphone, enter the dialing application and enter the code *#7353#. The display should display a special menu with different options for checking the elements of the smartphone. If there are any, we can talk about the authenticity of the device.
What is the difference between originals and fakes?
To check whether a Samsung smartphone is original when purchasing, you don’t need to be a guru in this area. It is enough to know three codes or install one of the applications that will help distinguish a fake from a genuine Samsung Galaxy S7, 8, 9 and other models:
- *#06# - shows IMEI. Numbers must be displayed that will coincide with those indicated under the smartphone battery.
- Service menu - *#7353# . On almost all original Samsungs, the engineering menu is launched with this combination.
- *#1234# — shows the build number, production date, device model.
- under the battery , next to the serial number.
- Using the QR code in the Antutu application, you can check the originality of the phone.
If at least one code does not work, then there is a high probability of fraud. If the first code does not work, then there is no need to even doubt that it is a fake.
It is worth noting that all authentication methods are relevant not only for a phone, but also for a tablet.
Checking using the service code
On simple Android there is no test menu . It is added specifically by Samsung developers. To see it and understand whether the phone is fake or real, the user will need to dial the following code - *#7353# .
A list will be displayed on the screen, which is shown in the picture below. If after entering this code nothing happens, then the user is most likely holding a fake.
Note! All service combinations are entered in a standard dialer. Pressing dial is usually not required.
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Using IMEI
It is also recommended to check authenticity by IMEI and serial number. This can be done on the official Samsung website:
- IMEI code on your phone screen using the combination *#06#.
- Write it down in a special field on the website.
- Click on the “ Check ” button.
- After the verification is completed, a message will appear indicating whether the smartphone matches the requested data.
Another way is to compare the IMEI code displayed on the screen with the one written on the sticker under the battery. To do this, you will need to remove the back cover , the battery and see if the numbers are identical.
In addition, you can call customer support by phone. Consultants will respond and confirm or deny the requested information.
IMEI
A reliable control method is to check your Samsung phone for originality using the serial number. This method cannot be called too reliable, but it should not be ignored. Moreover, the procedure itself will take no more than five seconds. The point is to dial the combination *#06# on the device. Immediately after this, the service code appears on the display, also indicated on the phone box. Now check the received data with those written on the box with the device.
To find out whether the Samsung is original or not, go to the company’s website and enter the IMEI. But keep in mind that the check is only effective for smartphones released before the Galaxy S7 series. Alternatively, go to IMEI.info and enter the character set you received earlier to check the phone's originality. The downside is that experienced attackers know how to replace data, but with a large flow no one will do this.
How to check the originality of a Samsung phone
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This is the easiest and fastest way to check any Galaxy smartphone for originality. Each company device has a proprietary menu that is launched using a secret code.
- Open the dialer app
Check by IMEI
Checking by IMEI number is not a very reliable way to determine whether the device is original, but in many cases it really helps. The determination procedure is also not very complicated, it consists of only two steps:
Study the characteristics of the desired smartphone or tablet
If you study the technical characteristics of the desired smartphone or tablet in advance, this will help distinguish the original from the fake. The fact is that copies have significantly better specifications, so it won’t be too difficult to see the difference.
Determine by touch
It is very easy to distinguish the original from the fake by picking up the device, if, of course, you have such an opportunity. Before purchasing, you should definitely go to the store and hold a real Samsung gadget in your hands so that you have an idea of the materials from which it is made.
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Source: //galaxy-droid.ru/10214-kak-proverit-telefon-samsung-galaxy-na-originalnost.html
How to check the originality of a Samsung phone
Samsung is a very popular brand, so it is counterfeited in huge quantities. Sometimes a fake is visually almost indistinguishable from the original. In this case, it would seem, why even know how to check the authenticity of a phone? The phone works - and it works well. Still, you can get certain bonuses from the official manufacturer and distributor.
Only original Samsung phones are serviced at service centers free of charge under warranty, so you should definitely check the model if it was purchased from an unofficial representative.
Visual inspection
Before you buy a phone, you need to go to the official Samsung website and see what a particular model should look like. The catalog will always contain all the necessary information: weight, dimensions, color palette, availability of different inputs and outputs. And in the photo it’s worth looking at what stickers and logos should be on the new phone.
Even better than the Samsung website, amateur video reviews will help with this, because they usually begin with unpacking the phone you just bought. This way you can see the packaging, which is important, because it is better to use original branded chargers for any device.
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It is clear that the new Samsung smartphone cannot be sold in a simple cardboard box or even in a plastic case.
Packing a phone is not only about wrapping “candy”, it is also about the safety of transporting the device. In addition, the necessary device codes will be duplicated on the box, which will be needed when applying for warranty service - equipment will only be accepted for warranty service in the original packaging.
Localization
You can see which languages a particular phone supports on the Samsung website, and the firmware versions released differ for different countries. Any typos or errors, even on the packaging alone, should alert you, not to mention the fact that the original device, when turned on, will not prompt the user to “crawl to turn it on.”
This may sound funny, but on the Internet there are many screenshots of the screens of fake smartphones that “communicate” with their owners in broken Russian. Each country must have its own localization and firmware; moreover, for example, a Xiaomi phone is not an international or localized version, and it is not always possible to reflash it in the official service.
Serial number IMEI
The most famous and at the same time the most unreliable way to understand whether a Samsung smartphone is original is the serial number of the device, which should be indicated on the box and in the warranty card.
Why isn't it considered a good option? Firstly, it is difficult to recognize and register a real serial number on a fake, but it is quite possible.
And secondly, on the Samsung website the system does not show information about models older than Samsung galaxy 7.
However, the IMEI code will still help determine the reliability of the information about the device that is given on the screen or even known only from the words of the seller. If the information on the site does not coincide with the realities of the phone in your hands, then someone here is definitely lying and you shouldn’t buy an iPhone after a Samsung from this seller.
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Authentication Applications
Using special applications is a great idea, but it can only be implemented at home. To do this, you will need a smartphone, one of the benchmark applications and information from the official Samsung website.
The most famous program of this type is Antutu. It analyzes the indicators and system status of the device and displays detailed data on the screen. If any numbers do not coincide with what the manufacturer stated for this model, then, unfortunately, this means that the phone is fake. Other popular benchmark apps are GFXBench and Geekbench.
Processor and device performance indicators can be shown by CPU-Z. And GPS Test will accordingly help determine the condition of the GPS sensor, which very often is not present at all in fake phones.
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But the phone itself, on which no third-party programs have yet been installed, can do something. There are several simple commands that you can run on Android to get comprehensive information about the device.
Particularly notable among them is *#7353#, because it is not native to the Android platform itself. This command is entered directly by Samsung engineers, so if you can call up the smartphone menu this way, it means it’s original.
On another platform, this number does not work; for example, you cannot check an iPhone this way, because Apple developers do not install this.
Another useful command, almost equivalent to checking by IMEI code, is *#1234#. It displays a lot of information on the screen, including model, release date, build number and much more.
These data must match those indicated on the box and in the instructions for the phone, with the information on the website and, of course, with the words of the seller.
Because if a smartphone in all respects is a Samsung original, but for some reason a person is lying about some characteristics, then you should give up this dubious idea and contact an official distributor that provides all guarantees.
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Source: //tech1and.ru/howto/telefonyi/kak-proverit-na-originalnost-telefon-samsung.html
Facts about fakes
Several years ago, a large number of fake Samsung smartphones and tablets appeared on sale. Typically, attackers counterfeit flagship devices - the Galaxy S and Note series.
The number and quality of non-original devices is so varied that it is almost impossible to give them an accurate description. The production of such devices is mainly carried out by small Chinese companies. Some of them copy the original device almost completely, including even the proprietary shell (menu, applications), others - only the appearance of the case.
Photo 1. Can you guess where the original is? (The answer is at the end of the article, the picture enlarges when clicked)
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Counterfeits can be sold everywhere: in regular and online stores, stalls, kiosks, but most often counterfeits are sold secondhand.
Photo 2. Most often, fakes are sold in such places.
One of the most common scenarios: near a metro station, a train station, a passage, or a large store, a person comes up to you and offers to buy a smartphone or tablet at a clearly reduced price, with receipts and a warranty card, explaining the “discount” by an urgent need for money.
Usually the seller is in a hurry, nervous, constantly talks to you, does not allow you to concentrate and examine the device properly, and distracts you. In this scenario, the probability of purchasing a fake is 99.9%.
Of course, the cases may be different, but the most important thing to remember is that if you purchase a device second-hand, you will not be able to return it if it turns out to be defective or counterfeit.
New flagship devices cannot be purchased at half or three times the average retail price; this is guaranteed to be a non-original device!
The support service receives requests from users who have been deceived by such “sellers” who are dissatisfied with the quality of the product or the lack of some functions, updates, etc. Upon closer examination, it turns out that the purchased equipment was not produced by Samsung, but by unknown “craftsmen”.
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How not to buy a fake
There is a persistent myth that the originality of a purchased device can be checked by IMEI. However, checking the IMEI itself cannot in any way determine whether the device is fake or not, because... it is not the device itself that is checked, but only the IMEI, which can be copied from the original device if you have the appropriate equipment and experience.
The only way to distinguish a fake from an original is a visual inspection of the purchased device by a competent specialist. If you have never seen the original device and have not studied it well enough, it will be very difficult to identify differences, since the degree of copying of devices can vary.
Although identification is difficult, in this article we will provide tips that can help you with your purchase.
[01] Try using a special service code.
To do this, select the “Phone” application and enter the combination: *#7353#. A test menu should appear in which you can check the functionality of various functions.
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This service code is initially absent in the Android operating system and is added by Samsung engineers, so the likelihood that it will work on a fake device and the menu will appear is minimal. Unfortunately, this method cannot be used to check tablets without the ability to install a SIM, because... They do not have a Phone app.
Photo 3. Menu that should appear after entering the service code
[02] Pay attention to the quality of translation of menu items and elements of the device’s body.
In the original devices, the translation is done with high quality, the inscriptions are only in English and Russian. In counterfeit devices, Chinese characters may be used in menu items; the translation itself may be conspicuous and look illogical, for example, on the lock screen there may be an inscription: “Drag to unblock,” or the like.
Photo 4. The original smartphone is on the left
The body on fake devices is usually modified, for example, the camera may be located in a different place, a plastic cover is used instead of a metal or glass cover, the display has low image quality and does not cause a wow effect. Functions that are not present in the original devices, such as a TV antenna, can also be added.
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Photo 5. Left - original, right - fakes
In addition, a fake device will most likely work slowly and freeze when scrolling through desktops. Flagship phones and tablets always use the best components at the time of release, so the interface works very quickly and smoothly.
Before purchasing, it is advisable to check out the device in several stores to get an idea of it.
[03] Recommendation for advanced users: use applications to check the performance and specifications of the device (benchmark, we used AnTuTu).
Select the application you like on Google Play and use it to check the characteristics of the device you are purchasing; they must comply with the official specifications. Typically, counterfeits use inexpensive processors from Mediatek (Samsung does not use such processors), less RAM, and lower-quality displays and cameras.
Photo 6. The device on the right is the original
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[04] The easiest way to insure against buying a counterfeit is to buy devices in branded stores (only original products are sold there) or in large retail chains (by carefully examining the device you are purchasing).
Photo 7. Brand store in the Atrium shopping center, Moscow, st. Zemlyanoy Val, 33
[05] If you have any doubts about the originality of the device, contact our support team for help!
To prevent such sellers from doing business, we ask that you report every instance of counterfeit devices being sold to Samsung.
Source: //furtour.ru/kak-proverit-originalnost-telefona-samsung/
Explore the specifications
One of the best ways to distinguish a gray Samsung phone from the original is to check the functionality of the device. Ask the seller to test the smartphone in several benchmarks to see the results. Most likely, the seller will refuse to fulfill such a request, which is one of the reasons to suspect a fake. Another option is to install the AIDA 64 program on the device, which allows you to see the detailed characteristics of the hardware and evaluate its originality. A fake often uses other displays, processors, flash drives, RAM, etc. Here you can also check Samsung and its technical capabilities.
Checking the characteristics
Each phone has its own declared characteristics. Chinese counterfeits may vary. You need to go to a website with information about the smartphone model and compare it with your phone.
For example, if the official Samsung website states that the camera should be 16 MP, then on the original phone its value should correspond to the declared one.
It is recommended to install the AIDA 64 utility. This application displays all the characteristics of the smartphone on the screen. All that remains is to check them with the official ones.
Turn on your smartphone
A reliable way to check the originality of the Samsung Galaxy S8 is to simply turn on the device. The technique only works for a used smartphone that was previously used by another owner. The algorithm of actions in this case looks like this:
- Press the power button.
- Wait for the Samsung brand name to appear.
- Next, most likely, the name of the Android OS will appear.
- The name of a specific model is shown on the screen.
If any of the specified elements are not displayed, this may indicate that the device is not original. But this is not an exact method, because even official Samsung smartphones may have nuances.
Service maintenance
Servicing of Samsung equipment is carried out in specialized salons, the addresses of which can be found on the paper warranty coupon or on the company’s official website. Free repairs can be made in any convenient place; most often, the consumer focuses on the proximity of the service location.
Please note that warranty service is available only for those products that were purchased in the Russian Federation. Products purchased overseas are serviced in the countries of sale.
In the absence of an electronic warranty and a paper coupon, the operating time is counted from the moment the product is released, which significantly reduces service time.
Products may be refused acceptance for the following reasons:
- There is no warranty card or electronic activation.
- When entering data on the site, information about the product was entered incorrectly.
- Failures do not relate to the device itself, but to its headset, cases, drivers, and batteries.
- The equipment has obvious traces of external influence - dents, cracks, scratches.
The technician must identify that the defect interfering with the operation of the technical product is of factory origin and is not acquired as a result of improper operation.
The Samsung manufacturer offers consumers, when purchasing equipment, to issue additional warranty certificates, which allow them to extend the period of free service and expand its range.
Hold the device
One of the methods to distinguish an original from a fake Samsung is to simply hold the device in your hands if possible. Before doing this, go to the official store of the outlet and carefully examine the official phone. This is necessary to understand the principles of execution, study the materials used and other features of the device.
In the future, if you pick up a copy, it will not be difficult to distinguish the Chinese device from the original Samsung. The difference will be noticeable in poor workmanship, weight, build quality, etc. If there is any suspicion of originality, it is better to abandon the suspicious purchase and look for another option.
Additional ways to check Samsung
Knowing how to check a Samsung phone for originality by IMEI, appearance, characteristics and service code, you can easily identify a fake. But there are a number of other useful methods that can be useful in identifying a fake device.
Additional methods on how to check a Samsung smartphone:
- Please note the availability of branded services. Official devices always have special applications, for example, Samsung Pay for linking a bank card to the phone and paying for purchases. Such a program most likely will not work on fakes.
- Look at the quality of the translation. To distinguish a copy from the original Samsung S8 or another model, just look at the translated menu. It should not contain errors or “mixing” of information in different languages. Counterfeits may use different Chinese characters, and the translation itself will be conspicuous due to its “clumsiness.”
- Try adding a phone account. To check the device’s originality, create a new profile and try adding it to the device directly in the store (with the seller’s consent). If your smartphone does not provide this feature or you cannot add an account, it is a fake device.
- Guarantee. When considering options for checking the authenticity of a Samsung Galaxy, remember the main criterion of originality - the warranty period. The manufacturing company cares about its reputation, so manufacturing defects are corrected without payment. In the case of a fake, you can hardly count on the warranty period. Such a phone will not be replaced or repaired even if it breaks down the next day.
- Look at the country of origin. There is often a question on the Internet about where original Samsung phones are made. The main office is based in South Korea, and production itself is established not only in the homeland of the smartphone, but also in other countries - China and Vietnam. You can look at the place of manufacture under the battery and check the originality in this way. Alternatively, you can install the Phone INFO program.
And most importantly, don’t chase the cheap. The natural desire of many buyers is to save money, but it is the price of Samsung that is the main test of originality. There are risks to be examined here. On the one hand, you can save money, but on the other hand, there is a risk of getting a fake and being disappointed in the purchase. That is why it is better to buy a device at an adequate price, which you can check on the Internet. But you should not take into account only this factor, because it is far from the main one.
Appearance
Appearance will also help you distinguish a fake Samsung phone from an original. You need to be careful when purchasing and pay attention to the quality of translation of applications that are displayed on the screen. In addition, the fake will vary greatly in weight. Chinese gadgets are usually lighter than branded ones. Besides:
- In the copy, the flash and fingerprint scanner may be out of place.
- The display may be slightly larger or slightly smaller than the original.
- The format and number of SIM cards may differ from those stated on the website.
- The colors of the picture on the screen are richer on the original smartphone due to the more modern AMOLED matrix installed in it.
- An old version is installed .
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Results
Now you know how to check whether a Rostest Samsung phone is white or fake. Controlling originality will not take much time, but it will allow you to avoid purchasing a low-quality device. To avoid falling for counterfeit products, make purchases only in large stores, and if you have no experience, take a knowledgeable person with you. If there is none, follow the given methods for checking originality. If you take a comprehensive approach to studying and check all aspects (technical, design, appearance), the likelihood of avoiding a fake and buying an official Samsung phone is very high.
Where are fakes sold?
You can run into a copy almost anywhere, so potential Samsung owners should be extremely careful and cautious.
- Quick sale. In large cities, counterfeits are sold near train stations, and in megalopolises - near the subway. Fraudsters trying to sell the goods second-hand tell tearful stories about robbery and the need to get home. And a smartphone, supposedly personal or bought as a gift to a loved one, is sold cheaper in order to buy a train ticket. The “owner” demonstrates the availability of all components and even a warranty card, rushes and does not give the opportunity to carefully examine the device. As a result, greed or complaint takes over, and the buyer becomes the owner of a fake model.
- Ads. Private advertisements in which the new Samsung is offered at a suspiciously low price are also dangerous. Most often, sellers already indicate in the advertisement that the phone was given to them as a gift, or that it was won in a lottery, which logically explains the low cost compared to the official ones. Fraudsters sense your doubts and stimulate your desire to buy a dubious smartphone by mentioning that they already have a buyer who is “thinking” until the evening. The threat that the goldfish will escape clouds the mind and encourages irrational purchases. The seller makes an appointment in a crowded place, and is in a hurry during the transaction, not allowing him to properly evaluate the smartphone and check its performance. Fraudsters will never tell you your real home address or make an appointment at your home, and after receiving the money, they will most likely put you in an emergency situation.
- Online stores. Sites from contextual advertising or top search engine results for queries beckon with low prices. The cheapness is either not explained at all by the sellers, or is justified by the liquidation of the warehouse or working directly with the manufacturer. An online purchase may not reach you at all, and the fly-by-night site will close as soon as the scammers collect enough money from gullible citizens.
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Offline stores are also dangerous: as a rule, these are small pavilions in crowded places where cheap copies of Samsung and iPhone are sold under the counter. The target audience of such sellers is young people who do not have enough money to buy an original, but want to impress others with a decent smartphone.
