Earlier smartphones knock-offs were so poorly done that it was easy to differentiate a fake smartphone from a genuine one. However, over time, some fake smartphones have cloned so well that they are physically very similar to the genuine ones.
From the size of the device, the buttons placement, the logos, the interface and other physical indicators of an original phone, some fake Phones are really good imitations. There are even grades.
For Android phones:
1. Enter *#06# on your phone to get the IMEI (IMEI means International Mobile Equipment Identity)
After getting the code go to http://www.imei.info/ and put in the code. Every info about your phone will show.
2. Test mode – Enter *#0*# on your phone to do various test.
3. ADC Reading – Enter *#0228# on your phone.
4. You can also hold power volume up and home button at the same time to do a hard reset.
For iPhones:
1. Go to Settings > General > About. Look for your device’s serial number, IMEI you copy and paste this information into checkcoverage.apple.com and check whether it is showing your phones details or not. If yes, then your iPhone is real. If not then you are at loss, your hard earned cash is wasted
2. Pentalobe screws: The original iPhone uses the pentalobe security screw while the fake one uses the normal cross screws. has five lobes that provide a tamper-proof system for the iPhone.
3. Check for number of Sim cards that can be used:
A real iPhone can only support a single Sim card at a time. Check and see if there are multiple Sim card slots in the iPhone. If the smartphone contains more than one Sim Card slot or if the slot is not where it is supposed to be then this is a clear indicator that the iPhone is a fake one.
4. Check the welcome screen.
Try to turn off then turn on the iPhone. A fake iPhone will have a welcome screen, like the word “Welcome,” while the original one will show you the logo of the iPhone. On the home screen, you will find an iPhone store icon. Try to click on it. If it takes you to the Google store, then you know what to think.
5. Check for the Apple logo.
On the back of the phone, you must see an iPhone logo. If you can’t find the logo, then it is not a real iPhone. Some clone iPhones are so good in imitating the original ones that they also have the logo at their back. However, you can rub your finger over the logo. You will feel a transition from the phone cover to the Apple logo if you are having the fake one.
6. Quality of the Display Screen:
The Original iPhone display screen very sharp and crispy. If you find it pixelated there is fair chance that the iPhone in your hand is fake or clone.
Also do Physical checks:
1. The screen is made of cheap glass material.
2. The screen is too far from the edge. (Cloned phones have a wide gap between the edge of the screen and the edge of the phone).
3. The screen is not as bright and vibrant as the original device.
4. Some of the sensors are not available.
5. The Home button is not located in the exact same spot as the one on the genuine item.
6. The Samsung logos are not smoothed out and can be felt; rubbing it will also remove the logo.
7. The device’s proportions different than that of the genuine product.
8. Gaps between parts like the home, power, and volume buttons are obvious.
This article was written by Daniel S. Opare Baidu, Focus 1 Group IT.
