Real versus fake

Can you spot the difference in the picture above? Which phone is the real Samsung Galaxy S4 and which one is the fake?

A friend brought me a Samsung Galaxy S4 phone, as he was having some issues with the device. On inspection, I immediately knew that it was a fake. Scammers have become masters at fooling the public into purchasing knockoff counterfeit devices.

'Unwanted gift' or 'unwanted birthday present' or 'unwanted upgrade'. These would be the typical headlines that scammers use on free classified Web sites to sell their devices, as they hide among the legitimate sellers of unwanted devices (and there are plenty of those). The ad would typically include a picture of the phone and its box, with the charger and headphone accessories too.

The box is the convincer. This is what visually convinces the prospective buyer that the phone is not stolen, but an actual upgrade, as it is the only explanation for why the seller would have the box. Unfortunately, when you don't know what to look for - and especially when it is the first time you are seeing a new operating system - it's easy to fall victim.

Everyone except the scammer suffers!

Fake phones are a no-win situation and a major problem facing mobile manufacturers. Fake phones are not the 'grey' imported phones which are legitimate products, but just purchased overseas and not bought from the local supplier. These bogus phones are dressed up to look exactly like the real branded phones, and sold with the aim of duping the public into parting with their money. When these fake devices fail, the unsuspecting purchasers are quick to jump onto social media and aim their frustrations at the brand, which causes reputational damage to the brand, even though they are not at fault.

While a cheap phone sounds like a bargain, it can turn out to be very expensive. Not only could the device have software installed that will steal your info, but the software could subscribe you to premium services that are billed to your account, costing you thousands.

There is no assurance of the quality of the device, or its battery, and therefore you run the real risk of holding a device to your head that could literally explode. If you leave the device in the wall charger overnight, the device could heat up and cause a fire. You simply don't know.

In order for the public not to fall victim to these scammers, check out this video, where I compare the fake Galaxy S4 phone to the real Samsung Galaxy S4. The differences become obvious quickly.