Guide to spot fake/counterfeit Galaxy Note 4

[Steen Gr]

I am not saying that the phones in question are counterfeits or not, but I want to point to a few things that may give a different explaination.

On the Galaxy Note 4 you can select different power saving settings and one will turn off the "menu" and the back button light while another dimm the screen light.

And Galaxy Note comes in 3 very different models (looking most the same, but a closer look will reveal several differences. The 16GB model are standard China just to mention one thing that may be relevant in this case.

So again: one of these phones may be a counterfeit, but before other people begin to worry you will have to be aware the potential genuine differences.

 

[mumfoau]

Thankfully I've yet to get bitten in all my years of craigslist transactions. But, folks are making it more and more difficult these days!

 

[Akshay Sapkal]

Thanks for the Note on a Note!
It will really help people identifying and avoiding to get a fake one!

 

[recDNA]

I could never tell the difference. They are so similar looking even with both in the picture. Seems there is no easy tell tale thing to look at. The one key thing that could be checked is the imei. I would not buy a used phone without checking that.

 

[oussama hammou]

root sm-n9100

 

[djle93]

When I was ready to buy a note 4, I found that looking at the ability to hover styles pen, the tip of the pen should be non metal, the camera in the front [ its a lot bigger than the two dot sensors, fakes have just a tad bigger] , the finger sensor in the back has a square, rectangle flat, rectangle standing pattern and checking the imei of what written behind the battery and the phone was enough to prove it was a real note 4.

 

[jamesm79]

Wow. I never even know they made fake phones, except for the dummy phones they put on display at certain stores. What a crock!

 

[1980s]

Rule number 1 - never, ever buy second hand electricals.

 

[daehttub]

Sherlock: Thanks for this very informative and detailed post. I had no idea the GN4 (and now other flagshipdevices) were being copied with a shockingly high level of attention to detail. Knockoffs are no longer laughably obvious. Please ignore the judgmental trolls and know that your post has proved an invaluable heads up to me and other members of this board. I have just purchased a good GN4 off Ebay since my major carrier has run out of new GN4's. Given the lack of a removable battery on the GN5 and likely the GN6 (based on the S7 rumors) and the lack of an SD card on the GN5, the Note 4 is the only choice for picky power users like me. The used market is going to be the only option for most of us that still have the Note, Note2,, and Note3's. On another note, (no pun intended) the secondary market on EBay is an excellent choice for smart shoppers burned by the Asurion Insurance ripoff from AT&T/Verizon/Sprint/Etc for older phones like the GN4 and earlier Notes. If your phone is more than a year old, my recommendation is to stop paying for insurance. I am rocking a spotless older Note 2 from EBay that I purchased for less than the cost of an Asurian Insurance replacement. One EBay tip I will pass on is to never buy from a seller with little or no ratings/membership history on EBay and to always read any recent negative reviews. There is a special place in hell for swindlers that target ordinary folks like us.

There are now a slew of "Fake GN4" videos on YouTube as this problem has become a real issue. I've pasted a link below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5wctoqYkpk

 

[gsm_mods]

the SM-N910X model is the note 4 live demo unit

 

[kgk1985]

Wow. I never even know they made fake phones, except for the dummy phones they put on display at certain stores. What a crock!

The Chinese make counterfeit EVERYTHING

 

[Brew Swayne]

OP, thanks for sharing your experience. Just out of curiosity, was the knock off being sold at a significantly lower cost than a new, genuine phone?

The cost of phones today is so high that people are naturally looking for the best prices they can find. Counterfeiters are well aware of this and take advantage of your need to find a good deal and use it against you. When shopping for phones from private sellers, your best bet is to compare their price against the rest of the market. Legitimate retailers sell refurbished or "gently used" phones all the time at a sight ly reduced price. I'd say that if Ia private seller is selling for more than maybe 10% less than everyone else, the chances it's fake (or stolen) start to increase significantly. These phones retail brand new upon release for anywhere between $700-800. A 1 week old phone, as long as it isn't damaged should sell for damn near the same price. Unlike cars, phones don't take a major hit in depreciation after the first use.

Know what the standard market rate for the phone is and if you come across someone selling the same phone for 30% less, you should probably ask yourself why. It's cliche as anything, but remember - if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.

 

[daehttub]

Batman: There certainly is a risk/reward tradeoff in the used market but there are real bargains to be had. That is part of the fun. EBay auction buyers must perform due diligence and that requires time and effort. Sometimes there is no other choice other than the used market. The last true power user Note (4) is no longer available new on many carriers. That said I still got lucky in a low activity auction and picked one up cheap that was in brand new condition. I had lost out on earlier auctions that went ridiculously high when some devolved into bidding wars which sellers love. Some sellers (annual upgraders) just want to dump their stuff for fast cash to offset their new phone upgrade cost and I was lucky enough to find one.

 

[Brew Swayne]

Using a site like eBay is going to offer you certain levels of protection. The OP, for example, said that he met with the seller. So I'm guessing this was something he saw on sites like Craigslist or even his local newspaper classifieds. Bottom line is that it was a person-to-person cash deal so it's almost certain that you aren't getting your money back.

At least with something like eBay, there's a record of the transaction and if the item isn't as described in the listing, you have the means to get outside parties involved in refunding your money.

 

[AXEL314]

Sherlock: Thanks for this very informative and detailed post. I had no idea the GN4 (and now other flagshipdevices) were being copied with a shockingly high level of attention to detail. Knockoffs are no longer laughably obvious. Please ignore the judgmental trolls and know that your post has proved an invaluable heads up to me and other members of this board. I have just purchased a good GN4 off Ebay since my major carrier has run out of new GN4's. Given the lack of a removable battery on the GN5 and likely the GN6 (based on the S7 rumors) and the lack of an SD card on the GN5, the Note 4 is the only choice for picky power users like me. The used market is going to be the only option for most of us that still have the Note, Note2,, and Note3's. On another note, (no pun intended) the secondary market on EBay is an excellent choice for smart shoppers burned by the Asurion Insurance ripoff from AT&T/Verizon/Sprint/Etc for older phones like the GN4 and earlier Notes. If your phone is more than a year old, my recommendation is to stop paying for insurance. I am rocking a spotless older Note 2 from EBay that I purchased for less than the cost of an Asurian Insurance replacement. One EBay tip I will pass on is to never buy from a seller with little or no ratings/membership history on EBay and to always read any recent negative reviews. There is a special place in hell for swindlers that target ordinary folks like us.

There are now a slew of "Fake GN4" videos on YouTube as this problem has become a real issue. I've pasted a link below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5wctoqYkpk

B&H is a very reliable source to pick up smartphones. Bought my brand new, unlocked international variant Note 4 from here. Plus they offer a one year warranty.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[hkj324]

I also have very good luck via Craigslist. I'm not one to buy electronics or jewelry on it and I am not going to meet people alone after dark for pretty much anything, but I have found some great people, a few who are now friends of mine on CL. Somebody must be watching over me!

 

[jammer124]

Resurrection of a 3yr old thread, my apologies.

I found this thread via google.
@ post #50 on page2 a pic is posted of the frame sticker that states "Mobile Phone"....
this sticker it is very similar to a N4 I recently acquired.

This frame sticker on recent purchase N4 immediately threw a red flag.
I have owned a number of N4's and as far as I can tell the phone hardware is 100%.
CPU-z, *#0*# & "about phone" have identical specs when compared to my existing legit N4.

So the only thing that is puzzling is a weird frame sticker and the S/N's do not match.
Other small accessory differences:
1. The S-pen has a non-removable tip and is not quite as responsive.
2. rear door has a leathery look but not the same feel.
3. battery is non-NFC (a NFC equipped battery allows NFC function)
4. Odd "apple" 2018 WX decal, also has no water damage button sticker.

Does this look like a correct authentic frame sticker?
Can anyone shed some experience if this is counterfeit or legit?

 

[jammer124]

pics attached

 

[mustang7757]

Is the note 4 your daily driver?

pics attached

 

[jammer124]

Yes.
I purchased this this questionable counterfeit "like New" N4 to replace my existing N4.