Fake mobile phones

ARE YOU WILLING TO RISK YOUR LIFE FOR A CHEAP CALL?

BUYING FAKE MOBILE PHONES AND ACCESSORIES, INCLUDING CHARGERS AND BATTERIES, CAN RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY.

SUSPECTED FAKE MOBILE PHONES AND ACCESSORIES EUROPEAN CUSTOMS SEIZED IN 2018:

WHAT ARE FAKE MOBILE PHONES AND ACCESSORIES?

You may have heard of fake luxury goods such as watches, sunglasses, bags and clothes, but did you know that mobile phones and accessories, including chargers and batteries, are also copied illegally? Unlike the manufacturers of genuine mobile phones, the makers of fakes usually do not comply with safety regulations.

Therefore, fake mobile phones and accessories may be a threat to your health and safety.

WHY YOU SHOULD AVOID BUYING FAKE MOBILE PHONES AND ACCESSORIES

You may be after a bargain when shopping for a new mobile phone or accessory but the price that you end up paying for a fake version

– both physically and financially – may be much higher than the price of an original.

Fake mobile phones and accessories can quickly become defective or even unusable as they are not produced with any regard to safety standards. Fake mobile phones and accessories are made from cheap substandard components that may contain chemicals which are dangerous to your health and/or highly flammable, resulting in electrocution and/or fire.

HOW CAN YOU SPOT FAKE MOBILE PHONES AND ACCESSORIES?

You can identify fake mobile phones and accessories by using your common sense and applying four indicators:

PLACE

If the mobile phone or accessory is sold from an outlet such as a street vendor, open marketplace, online marketplace or social media site there is an increased chance the product is fake. In order to make sure you buy original products, only buy from reputable stockiest or shops.

PRICE

If the price of the mobile phone or accessory is below the normal market price, there is an increased chance the product is fake. In other words, if the bargain seems too good to be true, it probably is.

If you do not know the price of the mobile phone or accessory that you wish to buy, you can check the recommended retail price online at the genuine manufacturer’s website before you make your purchase.

PRODUCT QUALITY

The quality of a fake mobile phone or accessory is often low compared to an original. If you are able to view the product in person you can check if there is a difference in weight, where the buttons and battery are located, screen size, functions, quality control stickers and holograms. If these do not match a product that you can buy from a reputable stockiest, the product may be fake.

All original mobile phones have a serial number to register it to a carrier network called the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number. The IMEI can be used to verify the originality of the phone. Fake mobile phones will not have an IMEI number or they will have a fake one.  If you are viewing the phone in person, you can find the IMEI number on the product packaging, under the phone’s battery or by dialing *#06# on the phone. Check this against the packaging.

If you are not viewing the phone in person then you should ask the retailer for the phone’s IMEI number. You can also check the legitimacy of a phone’s IMEI number and any information  regarding country of production, manufacturer and model type online.

PACKAGING

In order to keep costs down, the makers of fake mobile phones and accessories often cut corners when it comes to packaging.

They try to imitate the packaging of the original product they are copying but the quality is often very poor.

Take a close look at the quality of the printed images on the box and consider checking websites of reputable stockiest to see if you can find an identical phone or accessory packed in the same way as the product you intend to buy. If you cannot, there is a good chance that the product is fake.

Fake mobile phones and accessories are often produced by non-Serbian speakers and, therefore, spelling mistakes on the labels and packaging are very common. Always look closely for spelling mistakes on the labels and packaging, including the small print.

Finally, you should take a closer look at the quality of the package itself. The construction of boxes and packages with fake mobile phones and accessories is often weak and, as the packages are sometimes assembled by hand, the adhesive is often substandard. This may also be an indication that the product is a fake.

WHO CAN I CONTACT IF I NEED HELP?

If you have any questions about fake products you are welcome to contact:

Ministry of Trade, Tourism and Telecommunication
Sector of Market Inspection
E-Mail: stopfalsifikati@mtt.gov.rs
Website: www.mtt.gov.rs

The respective Serbian authorities exchange information concerning dangerous products found on the market, including unsafe mobile phones or accessories that could be fake. These alerts are placed on the rapid alert system for dangerous non-food products – “NEPRO”. They include information about the type of products found, the risks posed and the measures taken at national level to prevent or restrict their marketing.
Weekly reports of the alerts are available at  www.nepro.gov.rs