But don't be skeptical about electronic devices manufactured outside the vendor's countries. Manufacturers value their reputation very much and will never allow low-quality goods to be sold under their brand. But still, the buyer wants to be sure that he has chosen an original smartphone, to establish the origin of the device he is purchasing second-hand, or to make sure that the information specified in the documents regarding a specific device is up-to-date. These nuances and a whole range of other useful data about the gadget are stored in a special IMEI code of the device.
The Internet assistant Tarif-online.ru will tell you how to find out the country of the phone manufacturer using IMEI and what features of the code you should pay attention to. We will also describe an alternative way to obtain reliable information about the country of origin using the device serial number.
Appearance
The first thing you need to start checking is an external inspection of the iPhone. If the user has never owned Apple technology before, we recommend that you look at several reviews of the model you decide to buy before purchasing. This will help you understand how closely the device being sold matches the original in appearance.
Apple takes the security of its smartphones and brand protection seriously, so it tries in every possible way to label the products it produces.
The first step is to inspect the device visually. On the back there should be a logo with an apple core, and under it at the bottom of the smartphone there will be inscriptions like this:
- Designed to be Apple in California;
- Assembled in China.
Yes, many craftsmen have been counterfeiting such markings for a long time, but sometimes you come across very lazy scammers who rely only on the buyer’s inattention.
It is also necessary to inspect the device body. All Apple products are famous for their quality, so in most cases on the iPhone all edges will be smooth, without any gaps or unevenness, roughness.
Another important tip is to look on the Internet in what colors this or that model was produced. If the seller shows a device of a completely different color, it is 100% fake. Apple does not release any separate batches with other colors; it does not change panels to other colors for specific users.
Particular attention should be paid to inspecting the camera, the side dividers, and the latch for silent mode. All these details have their own clear colors, boundaries, shapes, so in many cases they may differ from the original.
It is also worth trying to remove the back cover of the phone. If it is removed, it is 100% not original. The iPhone batteries cannot be simply removed, the flash card cannot be inserted, so the cover cannot be opened with one click, but must be unscrewed with special small screwdrivers.
Also, all devices up to the iPhone X have only 1 slot for inserting a SIM card and are opened with a special needle, which is provided with the gadget.
Imei.info determine the model and characteristics of the smartphone using IMEI.
Search for a smartphone by imei on LoSToleN.
Imei.info is one of the best sites for determining the manufacturer of a mobile device model and its characteristics. The site has the most current database of EMEY codes and accurately finds even the newest and latest models of smartphones from any manufacturer, including those from China.
It is recommended to use this service when purchasing a used phone. Perhaps the device you are bribing will be re-flashed or the IMEI will be re-glued on the back cover and packaging of the mobile device. By entering this, you can easily find out what model and manufacturer it belongs to, as well as whether the characteristics of the hardware correspond to those declared by the seller.
Reconciliation of iPhone data and packaging
When purchasing iPhones, you must ask the seller for the original packaging in which it was originally located. If the seller was the first to purchase a given iPhone, in most cases the box will be kept.
The information on the packaging must be compared with the information on the phone itself. To do this, just turn the box over and find information such as:
- Part No—batch number;
- Serial No - serial number;
- IMEI/MEID - unique phone identifier.
The same information will be provided on the smartphone. If it matches the data on the box, you can move on to the next step. To view this data on your iPhone, you need to follow these steps:
- Open “Settings” and go to “About device”;
- Scroll down until you find the Model, Serial Number, and IMEI tabs.
If all the data agrees, move on to the next point. If the information does not match what is on the box, it means the packaging is from another smartphone or the data in the device is simply corrupted.
Connect to iTunes on your computer
Even if the methods described above showed that such a phone exists, you were provided with a box and there is an entry about the serial number and IMEI in the smartphone settings, you need to use additional verification methods, because Chinese underground companies have long learned to substitute information about real serial numbers, however in fact, devices with such identifiers are sold somewhere on official shelves. That is, they simply made a copy of the device with the same IMEI or other identifier and provided it to you. That is why we recommend using iTunes, which automatically recognizes the connected Apple device and synchronizes data.
- Download the latest version of iTunes on your computer and connect your smartphone to the computer using a USB cable;
- Wait until the system detects the new device, and as soon as the drivers for it are installed, your iPhone will appear in iTunes;
- If device information does not appear, check that the drivers are installed correctly or try plugging the USB cable into a different port. Otherwise, we can assume that the iPhone is not original, and therefore is not detected by the program.
Attention! When connecting to iTunes and viewing device information, be sure to check the serial number. It must match the number specified in the settings of this iPhone.
Authentication on the Apple website
On the official Apple website, you can check any smartphone and get information about it if the data is correct, and it doesn’t matter how new the user’s model is. Data is available for all versions, and this is history from 2007!
To once again make sure that you are purchasing an original device, we recommend going to checkcoverage.apple.com and entering the iPhone serial number that will be in the purchased gadget.
- To find the serial number, go to Settings, go to the About device tab and scroll down;
- Find the “Serial number” item and enter this data on the website, confirming the operation by entering a captcha.
If the iPhone is original, a photo of it will appear and information will be provided about what services are still active for it, such as technical support, service or repair rights.
Sometimes when checking it asks you to enter the date of purchase. This indicates that the phone is new and has not yet been activated. The fact is that after activation, all iPhones connect to the Internet and transmit information to official Apple servers, where the activation date is assigned to them. If an error appears, but the serial number was entered correctly, you can say with complete confidence that the seller is being disingenuous and trying to sell a fake.
Attention! We recommend checking any purchased iPhone through the official Apple service to see whether the device has been restored or not. Sometimes retail outlets, after returning and repairing smartphones, sell them at the same price as new ones, although refurbished iPhones should be sold at a price several times lower.
Checking iPhone software
And the last stage of verification is some “tricks” in the iPhone software. We have already described the most common and optimal verification methods, but if you want to be 100% sure that this is an original phone, you can try these options:
- Voice assistant Siri. Launch Siri with your voice and ask any command, such as launching the Apple Store app or going to a specific website. In fakes there is no voice assistant, so this operation will not be performed;
- Applications. Try running the Wallet app to link bank cards to Apple Pay, or Commands to link a specific voice command to a specific action. The fakes do not have such programs, although in the original version of iOS they are installed by default.
There are indeed many verification options, and we have described most of them in this material so that you can be confident in the reliability and originality of the device you are purchasing. If you are buying an iPhone for the first time and do not know how to connect it to iTunes or how authorization is carried out via Apple ID, we recommend taking with you a person who has such a device, otherwise you will fall for the tricks of scammers and purchase a fake.
And pay attention to the seller. For example, if he offers you cashless payment, delivery to any region, but does not want to meet you in person, this is 100% deception, as a result of which the maximum you will receive is a fake. In the worst case, you will simply lose your money! Share link:
Checking your phone by IMEI
Checking is possible not only by serial number, but also by IMEI. This is a unique identifier that is assigned to each smartphone. That is, there are no identical IMEIs in different phones in the world, and their history dates back to the 90s, when popular models from Nokia, Siemens and other phones were produced.
Look at the IMEI of the phone you need to check. There are several ways to do this:
- Look at the packaging. It is written after the IMEI phrase;
- View in device settings. To do this, you need to go to “Settings”, go to “About device” and find the IMEI tab;
- Request via command. Go to dialing mode and enter the command *#06#, after which the IMEI will appear on the screen.
Service No. 1
Now you need to check it on the official website of all unique identifiers. To do this, follow these steps:
- Follow the link www.imei.info;
- Enter IMEI in the field, enter the captcha and click Check.
If the data is correct, the system will show the device model and brand to which this IMEI belongs. For example, in our example, the site showed that the ID belongs to an iPhone 8.
If the data is not displayed, we can assume that the specified IMEI was simply specified randomly, so you should not purchase such a smartphone, since it is a fake.
Service No. 2
Can’t get information through the service mentioned above, but the owner claims that this is an original device? You can use another site that will show all the information.
- Go to sndeep.info/ru;
- Enter the serial number or IMEI of the device in the field and click “Check”.
Detailed information on iPhone will also be provided here. Moreover, if it turns out to be stolen, and the owner has entered data about this, a special tab will be displayed on the site, which signals the theft of the device.
You can also request additional information, for example, whether the phone is locked, activation date, SIM status, etc., but it is paid and will cost about 2-3 dollars.
LoSToleN is an international service for finding missing phones.
Search for a smartphone by imei on LoSToleN.
LoSToleN is a large database of stolen phones from all over the world. This is the most popular site on this topic. On LoSToleN you can post information about a lost or stolen smartphone. The mobile device is searched by IMEI. When buying a used phone, be sure to look at this online resource and access the mobile phone using IMEI, perhaps it is listed as missing.
Checking through the Apple Store
Almost all counterfeit iPhones, even if they have an identical appearance, similar to iOS, are well copied to the current version, however, they do not know how to connect to the Apple Store service. And in principle, this will be impossible, since the service identifies each smartphone in the database, and only after authorization allows you to download applications.
To check your phone, follow these steps:
- On the iPhone you decided to check, go to the Apple Store and try using the search;
- If it doesn’t show any results, go to any category to try to find any application and download it;
- Also go to Safari, enter any request with an application from the Apple Store in the search and follow the link that will lead to this service.
If the phone is not original, then in all cases you will not be able to download the application from the service, and the system will not even allow you to connect to the Apple Store.
If the iPhone is original, then no matter what method you use to switch to the download service, it will be successful, resulting in specific information about the application from the search results or the main page of the Apple Store being displayed.
Determine imei of Apple smartphones - iPhone, iPad.
Determine imei of Apple smartphones - iPhone, iPad
unlockpro.ru is another service that offers to determine the imei of Apple smartphones - iPhone, iPad. In order to check the status of your phone (Locked/Unlocked), you must enter the IMEI number (15 digits). For example: 013031002443984.
Nokia secret codes.
Holiday weekend in November.
How to turn on the camera on a laptop.
Warranty cases and Rostest certification
The warranty for iPhone 7 and other models is valid in the only case - when the device was purchased in Russia and certified by Rostest. If you brought equipment from the United States, domestic service centers will refuse you free assistance. The device was purchased in the European Union - the probability of receiving services is 50:50. If you don't get service at one place, try your luck at the next.
All Apple gadgets purchased in Russia are covered by a one-year limited warranty. This means that the device will be repaired or replaced with a new one if the owner used it in accordance with the instructions, and the cause of the breakdown was a manufacturing defect.
The official guarantee does not apply in the following cases:
- moisture got inside the case;
- the gadget was subjected to mechanical impacts, fell from a height;
- The phone's glass was cracked;
- Uncertified programs were installed on the device;
- it was used with uncertified accessories (for example, the power controller was damaged due to the use of inappropriate charging);
- They tried to repair the gadget in any workshop except the official service center.
The listed cases invalidate the iPhone 7 warranty: the owner will have to fix the problem at his own expense.
Important! Some users sincerely believe that the technology sold in the USA is better than the “Russian” one. There is an opinion that the “domestic” model A1723 or A1778 is slower than the “foreign” one. This is a myth: Apple uses the same production lines and components of the same quality for different countries. Devices may differ only in charging and instructions. To avoid unnecessary expenses on repairs, it is better to purchase iPhones within the country for use in the Russian Federation.
Alternative options for finding a stolen phone
Creating a business card about the owner.
A phone does not always disappear due to theft; perhaps the person who discovers the missing item will want to return it to its rightful owner. In this case, it is necessary to help him with this as much as possible. Namely, you should create a business card in your phone with the owner’s data: First Name, Last Name, additional phone number, Email. The business card can be placed on the lock screen (Settings - Lock Screen - Owner Information) or in the Contacts section, under the first number - 000 Phone Owner.
Some phone models can send an SMS message to a programmed number when changing a SIM card. If your smartphone supports this function, then enable it.
There are sites on the Internet where you can leave information about your missing phone. The most popular of them is LoSToleN. The link to which is posted above.
Call your number.
This advice is obviously the simplest, but it cannot be ignored: call your phone.
If the phone is in silent mode
If your phone is lost in the house or country house and it is in silent mode, then you need to remember whether the alarm clock is activated on it. If the alarm is set, it will work even when the phone is turned off, as well as in silent mode or in airplane mode. When the alarm goes off, the phone can be heard and found.
If Bluetooth is turned on on your phone.
If the mobile phone is turned on, working and Bluetooth is activated on it, then it can be found by scanning the airwaves. You can do this from another mobile device by installing one of the free programs on it. Under Android OS these will be the following programs: .
Search IMEI through a search engine.
This method of searching for MU should not be ignored either. Perhaps someone found your cell phone and published its IMEI on one of the missing and found phone sites. Simply enter the IMEI of your lost smartphone into Yandex or Google and press Inter.
View advertisements for sale.
If the phone was stolen, it may have already been put up for sale. This option is also worth checking out. To sell this or that item faster, people advertise on the Avito.ru website. Or to another site more famous in your city. It is worth looking at the latest advertisements for the sale of your phone model on the Internet site. You may be lucky and the phone will be found this way.
Similarly, you can place an ad on a website about a lost or stolen smartphone. Advertising on social networks is especially effective. If the device is found by a conscientious person, he will be able to return it for free or for a small reward.
Checking a used iPhone for mechanical damage
Visually inspect the iPhone and check:
- Condition of the case. It is desirable that the device is free of chips, scratches and dents.
- Controls (Home and Power buttons, volume rocker, vibration mode switch). The buttons should work softly and silently, and should not stick or fall through. The device should respond instantly to button presses.
- Did you understand the iPhone? The earpiece (next to the front camera) should be covered with a mesh. The screw heads on the bottom side of the charging/sync connector must not be damaged.
- Has it been renovated? The shades of the “Home” button and the protective glass should be the same. The charging/sync port and headphone jack must match the color of the iPhone. Press down on the screen, the original touchpad does not “float” (presses do not leave marks).
- iPhone Neverlock (unlocked) or “locked”. Remove the SIM card tray; there should be no overlays for the SIM card (adapters for the Gevey or r-Sim hardware unlock). Insert your SIM card - connecting an unlocked iPhone to the cellular network is fast.
- Touchpad. Unlock your iPhone, press and hold your finger on the screen until the application icons begin to “dance”, and slowly drag any icon across the screen. It should not “come off” from the finger.
- Speaker and microphone. Call someone, you and you should be clearly heard (sometimes this also depends on the quality of the connection).
- Wi-Fi module. Turn on Wi-Fi and connect to a wireless network, check your Internet access in Safari. When cold, the Wi-Fi module works properly - the breakdown appears after heating, so do not turn off Wi-Fi for at least another 5 minutes.
- Camera and autofocus. Launch the Camera app, tap on the area of the screen to autofocus.
- Proximity sensor. Call someone, during a conversation - cover the upper part of the screen to the right of the speaker with your finger - the screen should go dark.
- Accelerometer. Launch any standard application (Messages, Contacts, Calendar, Photos), rotate the iPhone - the screen should rotate with the device.
- Headphones. Plug your headset into the headphone jack, launch the Music app, and play. Check volume control, track switch and playback controls.
- Contact with water. Shine a flashlight into the headphone jack, if you find a red marker in it (moisture indicator), it means the device has been in contact with water.
- External speakers. Turn on music playback, the sound should be clear, without wheezing.
- Remove the protective films, they hide scratches.
How to identify a refurbished iPhone
Despite the fact that refurbished smartphones, in most cases, are not inferior in durability to ordinary copies, there is still a chance to stumble upon an unsuccessful model, and you always want to use a brand new device. Unfortunately, even in large stores you can come across refurbished models that are sold as new at full price. This could be either intentional fraud on the part of the store or simple negligence, since the devices are completely identical in appearance.
Look at the settings menu
- Open the settings menu.
- "Basic".
- "About this device."
- Find the "Model" item.
The first letter of the model name will help you determine if your device is new.
- M - new phone.
- F - refurbished smartphone.
The last two characters indicate the region in which the device is intended for sale. If you bought your iPhone in the Russian Federation, and this is the version officially certified by Rostest, it should be abbreviated RS, RR, RP or RU.
Identifying a refurbished iPhone by packaging
If you have not yet purchased the device, you can identify a refurbished phone by its packaging. Of course, it is unlikely that the smartphone will be sold under the guise of a new one, but it is worth knowing about it.
- An iPhone is refurbished if its box has a seal with the text “Apple Certified Pre-Owned.” There may also be slightly different options, but the meaning is always approximately the same.
- Three letters - RFB - must be printed on the information sticker in the appropriate place.
Determining a restored iPhone by IMEI
You can find out whether an iPhone is new by comparing the information from the IMEI with what is actually there. After entering the IMEI on the appropriate website, you will receive part of the device data. Here you should pay attention to several main characteristics.
- If a newly purchased smartphone has the Find My Phone function activated, then it is refurbished. New devices have this feature disabled by default.
- If the color does not match, then the case has clearly been changed, so the phone may well be refurbished.
- If “Expired” appears next to the warranty service lines, then the device has been in use for quite some time.
This also works when buying a smartphone secondhand, the owner of which is trying to sell the refurbished device under the guise of a new one.
In general, despite the improvement in the quality of Chinese counterfeits, it is still quite easy to distinguish them from the original. You just need to be more careful and know about some of the features of Apple products.
What to look for when purchasing?
To avoid being denied Apple warranty service, take precautions at the time of purchase. Read reviews, compare prices, ask experienced people for advice.
No matter which model you are interested in: iPhone 7 A1660, A1661, A1784, A1688, A1778 or others, contact those sellers that Apple knows about. They must be an authorized or premium reseller. This way you can be sure that in the event of a breakdown you will be provided with free service.
When purchasing components, for example, for an iPhone 7 128Gb, read in advance the list of manufacturers whose equipment can be used. Using low-quality devices will damage your iPhone.
Important! Do not use a car charger or a low-quality counterfeit for iPhone 7 128Gb and other devices. This way, your power controller will quickly break down, the repair of which will have to be paid for out of your own pocket.
The popularity of the iPhone in Russia is steadily growing, and along with it, the principles of Apple warranty service are also improving. If you purchased a device in the country and used it in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations, you have the right to count on free and high-quality repairs at an official service center.
How to find a phone
For an iPhone, you can determine the location of the device yourself using the iCloud cloud service. To do this, you must first enable synchronization with the cloud. On the official website, you will need to log in to your account - enter your Apple ID and password from your personal account, after which the service will show the geoposition of the device at the moment, provided that it is not turned off.
On Android (as on iPhone), similar detection of the device’s location is possible through email and a Google account. The smartphone must be linked to the account and email. In this case, in your Personal Account, in the “Device Search” section, you must select a gadget - a phone or tablet, the geoposition of which must be determined. The service navigator will show the location as a point on the Google map.
In addition to these services, there are also programs for determining the location of devices that have advanced functionality. Their navigation is mainly aimed at finding a stolen or missing device, and therefore offers the following options:
- Activation of a sound signal, or the ability to make a call. The activated siren allows you to quickly determine the location of the smartphone if the user has lost it in a large house or thick grass. If the device was stolen, but it was discovered immediately, then a loud sound will help identify the intruder.
- Access to the device software. Here you can adjust the volume level and activate/deactivate the sound, turn on the flash and wireless data transfer.
- Set the screen timeout period. After the last interaction, the lost gadget will turn off the screen after a specified time interval.
- Hiding the utility. Allows you to make the installed application invisible so that the thief does not detect the security software and the detection is successful.
- SIM card tracking. This option is used to track the location of the SIM card inserted into the missing smartphone. The same name is used. You can also determine when the SIM card lost its relevance, that is, it was replaced with a new one.
- Ability to block a stolen gadget. If no other locking methods are installed on your phone, then this function will allow you to set a code, without entering which the device cannot be used. In this case, the code can be set using a computer. The blocking can also be deactivated there.
- Formatting the SD card. Running this function will clear the flash drive installed in the lost gadget.
- Reset to factory settings. Completely clearing the device memory. The option will be useful if the geolocation is not immediately determined, and information protection is a priority.
This application, suitable for any Android (Xiaomi, Samsung, etc.), can be installed for free. The tracking program uses a GPS satellite or phone number to figure out where the subscriber is, even without his consent. This way you can track down a friend, husband or any other person if his device is not turned off. Tracking and location are possible for all countries, which include both Russia and Ukraine.
However, direction finding is not the only function available. Using this code, as well as a cell number or landline phone number, you can find out where the call is coming from, who the owner of the phone is (his first and last name), where he lives (if the address is registered), reviews about the number itself and some personal information about the person :
- passport details;
- call details;
- content of SMS messages;
- mobile account status.
This is possible thanks to the use of a number database. An Internet locator in Russian, which can be installed on Android through a store or a search engine, will help you determine whose landline or mobile phone number is being disturbed and will notify you by email. Digging this home number will allow you to find basic information, for example, that the caller’s city is Moscow. Knowing this, the user can block this landline number, or, if it is a cell phone number, use the application’s capabilities to determine more accurate contact information such as geolocation.
Basically, the program, which determines the location of the device by serial number, is used to track the geolocation of friends or relatives and search for their addresses. It is also indispensable if the subscriber himself needs to locate a lost device. In Russia, many stolen phones, provided the power is not turned off, can be tracked using the appropriate program. The locator installed on the Samsung monitors the device via satellite, receiving its geodata, which it plots on various maps. You won’t be able to find your switched off lost phone this way, but as long as it is in an active state, the tracking will be successful, and data about it will be sent to your email.
What you need to know about iPhone?
It is this brand, among other smartphone companies, that scammers love to counterfeit. It is known that the buyer pays the lion's share of the cost for the brand, since the cost of the gadget is, in fact, much lower. This is what the creators of counterfeits take advantage of - they insert cheap, non-original parts (cases, screens, buttons, charging and headphone jacks, etc.) and receive a lot of money for their dishonest work. Therefore, as mentioned earlier, it is best to buy iPhone from authorized dealers.
These places include communication stores, registered resellers, hardware and electronics stores, and verified online stores with reviews.
The most popular way to save on the original price is to buy a used iPhone from an ad on Avito or Yula, which has small defects (scratches, a broken screen, perhaps some minor defects).
Another case is that dealers take a commission for transporting goods from the seller to their own store, and therefore inflate the cost by 20-30% from the one at which Apple sells. Accordingly, users sometimes do not want to pay this difference and try to order a gadget from the United States on their own.
The chance of running into a scammer increases significantly, and the likelihood of getting a blocked gadget is added to it. The fact is that in the United States they produce iPhones that work only with American telecom operators. For other countries, unlocked phones are sold. Checking whether the iPhone is locked is quite simple - you need to insert a SIM card and try to make a call. If there is a network, then everything is in order. In America, gadgets that have undergone the unlock procedure are also offered (mostly, these are refurbished devices that someone handed over to the store under warranty due to poor technical characteristics).
