Hello everyone
I do have Samsung Galaxy Note N7000
And i was wondering how to tell if my galaxy note is refurbished or factory made
because i keep notice that my phone keep freeze a lot plus the Google maps and GPS totally kill the phone and so slow to use so please tell me if that normal thing to happen too or not ,
It might be the firmware.
Try Flashing XXLA6 Stock.
AFAIK, There is no way to tell whether a unit is brand new or Refurbished.
Dont know if this applys to notes. But for my galaxy s the different of a retail and a refurbished( the replacement phone samsung gave me) was the sticker on the back of the.phone showing serial imei and such. The retail onw is nice and good quality with samsung logo and made location. The refurb one is just one cheap sticker with some barcode and number
Sent from my GT-N7000 using Tapatalk
JazonX said:
It might be the firmware.
Try Flashing XXLA6 Stock.
AFAIK, There is no way to tell whether a unit is brand new or Refurbished.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That means i shud flash my phone to European version ?
Is that ROM is the fastest ?
tg9413 said:
Dont know if this applys to notes. But for my galaxy s the different of a retail and a refurbished( the replacement phone samsung gave me) was the sticker on the back of the.phone showing serial imei and such. The retail onw is nice and good quality with samsung logo and made location. The refurb one is just one cheap sticker with some barcode and number
Sent from my GT-N7000 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I cant tell if my material good or not on the phone because i havent used any galaxy note's before except mine
So i was thinking that some guys says go to RTN number but idk how to do that
because they say i shud dial up some code which never work for me
any idea about that code ?
From where did you get it ?
Do not flash XXLA6
wipe your device and flash the latest Emirates rom (arabic rom)
it is fast and stable.
The ICS will be released soon.
M.Noury said:
From where did you get it ?
Do not flash XXLA6
wipe your device and flash the latest Emirates rom (arabic rom)
it is fast and stable.
The ICS will be released soon.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I got it from a guy who sells them on big hardware site in egypt
And i already have the emirates version on my phone
Just the thing is , how to tell if my phone is refurbished or not , whats the steps to know ?
there is no physical evidence new / user or phone from shop returns ...
i have your same version of the note, and it does the same with freezing, a friend has the same note but with v2.3.6 not 2.3.5 and it works a lot better.
so try updating to 2.3.6 (assuming that your device has no warranty) or wait for the ICS
Never ignore gut feelings!
I should have trusted my gut when I received my "NEW" SGN (N7000) -- a purchase I made on Amazon from a seller named "Goodios" -- when it arrived in a box with a broken factory seal. There was a sticker over the original seal but upon closer inspection it was obvious that the original factory seal had been broken. Unfortunately for me, due to the seller's high feedback rating I unconsciously began making excuses for them from the get go. I assumed they opened the box merely to add an aftermarket US power adapter despite common sense screaming out the fact that there would have been no practical reason to do such a thing. Any additional accessories could have simply been dropped into the shipping box -- there was after all plenty of room.
The last and biggest clue which would finally convince me that this was in fact NOT a new unit as described by the seller was the missing sticker that should have been covering the screw at the top left corner of the battery well. Removal of this sticker voids the factory warranty, and the fact that it was missing on mine told me that my unit was likely refurbished.
Unfortunately again for me I didn't figure out that last clue until after the 30-day window in which I could have returned the phone. I'm kicking myself now because that's something I would have otherwise thought to check had my suspicions not be quelled by the seller's feedback rating. A high positive feedback ratio often signifies an honorable seller, but it can also signify a crooked seller with ignorant customers like me. Another expensive lesson learned (sigh).
AjaxTheCleaner said:
I should have trusted my gut when I received my "NEW" SGN (N7000) -- a purchase I made on Amazon from a seller named "Goodios" -- when it arrived in a box with a broken factory seal. There was a sticker over the original seal but upon closer inspection it was obvious that the original factory seal had been broken. Unfortunately for me, due to the seller's high feedback rating I unconsciously began making excuses for them from the get go. I assumed they opened the box merely to add an aftermarket US power adapter despite common sense screaming out the fact that there would have been no practical reason to do such a thing. Any additional accessories could have simply been dropped into the shipping box -- there was after all plenty of room.
The last and biggest clue which would finally convince me that this was in fact NOT a new unit as described by the seller was the missing sticker that should have been covering the screw at the top left corner of the battery well. Removal of this sticker voids the factory warranty, and the fact that it was missing on mine told me that my unit was likely refurbished.
Unfortunately again for me I didn't figure out that last clue until after the 30-day window in which I could have returned the phone. I'm kicking myself now because that's something I would have otherwise thought to check had my suspicions not be quelled by the seller's feedback rating. A high positive feedback ratio often signifies an honorable seller, but it can also signify a crooked seller with ignorant customers like me. Another expensive lesson learned (sigh).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thats really annoying when you can find people like these all over the internet trying to steal you with all ways possible . Sorry to hear that you fell in such a trap man .
Sent From My Samsung Galaxy Note N7000 Using XDA Premium
AjaxTheCleaner said:
I should have trusted my gut when I received my "NEW" SGN (N7000) -- a purchase I made on Amazon from a seller named "Goodios" -- when it arrived in a box with a broken factory seal. There was a sticker over the original seal but upon closer inspection it was obvious that the original factory seal had been broken. Unfortunately for me, due to the seller's high feedback rating I unconsciously began making excuses for them from the get go. I assumed they opened the box merely to add an aftermarket US power adapter despite common sense screaming out the fact that there would have been no practical reason to do such a thing. Any additional accessories could have simply been dropped into the shipping box -- there was after all plenty of room.
The last and biggest clue which would finally convince me that this was in fact NOT a new unit as described by the seller was the missing sticker that should have been covering the screw at the top left corner of the battery well. Removal of this sticker voids the factory warranty, and the fact that it was missing on mine told me that my unit was likely refurbished.
Unfortunately again for me I didn't figure out that last clue until after the 30-day window in which I could have returned the phone. I'm kicking myself now because that's something I would have otherwise thought to check had my suspicions not be quelled by the seller's feedback rating. A high positive feedback ratio often signifies an honorable seller, but it can also signify a crooked seller with ignorant customers like me. Another expensive lesson learned (sigh).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is why I prefer to go out n buy stuff myself rather than ordering it from eBay or Amazon..if u yourself would have gone out to a Samsung store or any other store u wouldn't have gone through this..
Sent from my Galaxy Note with Blazing CM9
AjaxTheCleaner said:
I should have trusted my gut when I received my "NEW" SGN (N7000) -- a purchase I made on Amazon from a seller named "Goodios" -- when it arrived in a box with a broken factory seal. There was a sticker over the original seal but upon closer inspection it was obvious that the original factory seal had been broken. Unfortunately for me, due to the seller's high feedback rating I unconsciously began making excuses for them from the get go. I assumed they opened the box merely to add an aftermarket US power adapter despite common sense screaming out the fact that there would have been no practical reason to do such a thing. Any additi]onal accessories could have simply been dropped into the shipping box -- there was after all plenty of room.
The last and biggest clue which would finally convince me that this was in fact NOT a new unit as described by the seller was the missing sticker that should have been covering the screw at the top left corner of the battery well. Removal of this sticker voids the factory warranty, and the fact that it was missing on mine told me that my unit was likely refurbished.
Unfortunately again for me I didn't figure out that last clue until after the 30-day window in which I could have returned the phone. I'm kicking myself now because that's something I would have otherwise thought to check had my suspicions not be quelled by the seller's feedback rating. A high positive feedback ratio often signifies an honorable seller, but it can also signify a crooked seller with ignorant customers like me. Another expensive lesson learned (sigh).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Could you please post a picture of a note with or without the sticker? I've looked everywhere but i can't find a picture. I fear i am like you and am missing the sticker but am still within the time period to return my note
AjaxTheCleaner said:
I should have trusted my gut when I received my "NEW" SGN (N7000) -- a purchase I made on Amazon from a seller named "Goodios" -- when it arrived in a box with a broken factory seal. There was a sticker over the original seal but upon closer inspection it was obvious that the original factory seal had been broken. Unfortunately for me, due to the seller's high feedback rating I unconsciously began making excuses for them from the get go. I assumed they opened the box merely to add an aftermarket US power adapter despite common sense screaming out the fact that there would have been no practical reason to do such a thing. Any additional accessories could have simply been dropped into the shipping box -- there was after all plenty of room.
The last and biggest clue which would finally convince me that this was in fact NOT a new unit as described by the seller was the missing sticker that should have been covering the screw at the top left corner of the battery well. Removal of this sticker voids the factory warranty, and the fact that it was missing on mine told me that my unit was likely refurbished.
Unfortunately again for me I didn't figure out that last clue until after the 30-day window in which I could have returned the phone. I'm kicking myself now because that's something I would have otherwise thought to check had my suspicions not be quelled by the seller's feedback rating. A high positive feedback ratio often signifies an honorable seller, but it can also signify a crooked seller with ignorant customers like me. Another expensive lesson learned (sigh).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If it was fulfilled by Amazon then you might have hope. Let them know what you discovered and then tell them the item was not as described and that you demand a full refund. Amazon customer service phone number 1-866-216-1072
---------- Post added at 01:55 AM ---------- Previous post was at 01:52 AM ----------
Techimplant said:
This is why I prefer to go out n buy stuff myself rather than ordering it from eBay or Amazon..if u yourself would have gone out to a Samsung store or any other store u wouldn't have gone through this..
Sent from my Galaxy Note with Blazing CM9
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good point but hard to find a "brick and mortar" store in the USA that sells this international unlocked phone therefore Amazon and ebay. I didn't even know Samsung had their own stores. If they have them in the USA it must be major cities like NYC, Chicago, LA, etc.
I have a galaxy S5 that I have purchased from someone on Craigslist (been doing this for years, never had a bad experience).
But I am completely at loss about this device.
The box and the battery labels have one kind of a EMEI and the phone SW in the "about" section a completely different one.
Prior to purchasing the phone, I have asked the owner for the EMEI, I have called the ATT store and they said it's unlocked. (this is the one on the back of the device under the battery and the box). After I have purchased the phone (because I am a fool) and realized there is something wrong with it, I have called Samsung US customer service. I have given them both EMEI numbers from under the battery and in the menu, but they were not able to find anything. They said that if it is an international device, they would not have any information on this device. Which makes sense, but doesn't help at all.
I have downloaded an info app to get the exact model number because if I click on the model in the menu, it pops up and I can change it to anything I want.(wtf???) The info app says its a SM900S version, the SSN number on the back says its a G900G SMH version.(The model no. is simply SM-G900). The sticker says a certain serial number, the inside SW in about section says 123456789ABCD. This phone is a joke.
Battery drains like crazy, the display seems to be something like a 240p resolution when taking videos or pictures.
Watching youtube videos is laggy and washed out. I thought it's the fake Galaxy S5, but the finger scanner works, heartbeat sensor works as well (these would not work on the fake ones as far as I understand it correctly). By now I figured this is not an American version but a unlocked version (works with ATT on H speed and T-Mobile on Edge and uses roaming for a European version). The info app shows that there is a 801 processor in it and that all CPU's are running. GPU is 330.
What puzzles me is the screen resolution and the horrible quality of the picture/videos on the screen and camera. I have reset the phone to see if it helps, but it doesn't. I don't feel great about reselling it knowing that there are these issues there. I wanted to see if it is even possible to burn a ROM on this device and see if it helps, but since the label and SW version show a different model, I have no clue which version, or whether I can install a ROM in the first place.
For the love of God, can anyone think of something here. Please do not go into "don't buy of Craigslist" thing.
I really need help with this piece of ****e
I live in DC, MD, VA area. I am willing to meet with someone in the DMV or PA area if you would be willing to take a look at this phone.
emanko111 said:
I have a galaxy S5 that I purchased from a Craigslist owner (been doing this for years, never had a bad experience).
But I am completely at loss about this device.
The box and the battery labels have one kind of a EMEI and the phone SW in the "about" section a completely different one.
Prior to purchasing the phone, I have asked the owner for the EMEI, I have called the ATT store and they said it's unlocked. (this is the one on the back of the device under the battery and the box). After I have purchased the phone (because I am a fool) and realized there is something wrong with it, I have called Samsung US customer service. I have given them both EMEI numbers from under the battery and in the menu, but they were not able to find anything. They said that if it is an international device, they would not have any information on this device. Which makes sense, but doesn't help at all.
I have downloaded an info app to get the exact model number because if I click on the model in the menu, it pops up and I can change it to anything I want.(wtf???) The info app says its a SM900S version, the SSN number on the back says its a G900G SMH version.(The model no. is simply SM-G900). The sticker says a certain serial number, the inside SW in about section says 123456789ABCD. This phone is a joke.
Battery drains like crazy, the display seems to be something like a 240p resolution when taking videos or pictures.
Watching youtube videos is laggy and washed out. I thought it's the fake Galaxy S5, but the finger scanner works, heartbeat sensor works as well (these would not work on the fake ones as far as I understand it correctly). By now I figured this is not an American version but a unlocked version (works with ATT on H speed and T-Mobile on Edge and uses roaming for a European version). The info app shows that there is a 801 processor in it and that all CPU's are running. GPU is 330.
What puzzles me is the screen resolution and the horrible quality of the picture/videos on the screen and camera. I have reset the phone to see if it helps, but it doesn't. I don't feel great about reselling it knowing that there are these issues there. I wanted to see if it is even possible to burn a ROM on this device and see if it helps, but since the label and SW version show a different model, I have no clue which version, or whether I can install a ROM in the first place.
For the love of God, can anyone think of something here. Please do not go into "don't buy of Craigslist" thing.
I really need help with this piece of ****e
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you bought the device with a creditcard you should be able to get your money back because of fraude. Or contact the seller and see if he reverses the sale, if he will not do that file a police report for fraude and give them as much details/info as you can. Thats about it mate you can do imo, good luck mate
gee2012 said:
If you bought the device with a creditcard you should be able to get your money back because of fraude. Or contact the seller and see if he reverses the sale, if he will not do that file a police report for fraude and give them as much details/info as you can. Thats about it mate you can do imo, good luck mate
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks.
Of courseI have paid cash, it's hard not to with CS stuff. (he went down from $480 to $420 bc I was willing to meet him the PM hours).
I will contact the police although from what I heard, they don't give a damn about "fraud" cases such as these.
Also, I wonder how can I prove that I have purchased a device from him, if I have no receipt?
emanko111 said:
Thanks.
Of courseI have paid cash, it's hard not to with CS stuff. (he went down from $480 to $420 bc I was willing to meet him the PM hours).
I will contact the police although from what I heard, they don't give a damn about "fraud" cases such as these.
Also, I wonder how can I prove that I have purchased a device from him, if I have no receipt?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Unless there we`re witnesses present during the sale you can`t prove anything.
Its impossible to prove who a seller is through the ad so legally the police can't do anything, And you didn't pay with credit card so basically you are completely stuffed and your only 2 choices are to track him down and beat the **** out of him or just take this as a life lesson and spend a bit more next time from a reputable seller.
Michael_P said:
Its impossible to prove who a seller is through the ad so legally the police can't do anything, And you didn't pay with credit card so basically you are completely stuffed and your only 2 choices are to track him down and beat the **** out of him or just take this as a life lesson and spend a bit more next time from a reputable seller.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks.
But does anyone have an idea about whats going on with the phone?
I have the same model, but I was aware beforehand that it was a fake. My question is this: Has anyone found the correct way to hard reset this model SM-G900 (G900SMH) ? I can get to the factory reset screen, with the android guy saying "no command". I need help on this one, if anybody has the correct sequence of button presses?
I have an international G935F phone that I use on Straight Talk (AT&T). I took it to the Samsung USA service center to get the screen replaced and they said they don't touch international phones because of different internals/parts. I also called the 800 number and they told me the same thing. Is this accurate? I know US and international use different processors (Exynos and Snapdragon) but I would think screen replacement would be pretty much the same with the same parts.
Policy is policy I guess.
Sent from my SM-G935F using XDA-Developers mobile app
Yep. Take it to a 3rd party repair shop and expect to pay $350 to have it fixed. Samsung won't touch it. Already went through this. Not fun.
Hisma said:
Yep. Take it to a 3rd party repair shop and expect to pay $350 to have it fixed. Samsung won't touch it. Already went through this. Not fun.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When you did this, were they able to use the US LCD/screen part on the international phone?
araytb said:
When you did this, were they able to use the US LCD/screen part on the international phone?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, wasn't an issue whatsoever. The LCDs are identical.
Hisma said:
Yes, wasn't an issue whatsoever. The LCDs are identical.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have purchased 2 S7 Edge International versions from Amazon - fulfilled by amazon, but 3rd party sellers, one a Dual Sim, and one single SIM. The product listing was somewhat vague, just listing International Warranty, may not be covered in the USA. So, I contacted the seller through Amazon support, and the response was, The warranty is International, HOWEVER, you'l have to send back the phone to Samsung the phone originally came from!!!. I ran Samsung info to find one is a Middle Eastern version with a model code ending in EG (Egypt), and the other is all in Chinese, even the default language in case of a hard reset is chinese (or Korean, or or or).
I've sort of accepted that there is no warranty, and hope no product fault happens while I have the phone. Here is the email from the seller:
On Wed, Apr 20, 2016 at 9:49 PM, XXXXXx - Amazon Marketplace <[email protected]> wrote:
correct, you will need to mail your phone outside the USA to the country of origin from the manual to get service. Samsung USA will not honor any warranty
thanks
On Wed, Apr 20, 2016 at 9:47 PM, Riz Amazon Marketplace <[e-mail address removed]> wrote:
Thanks for the reply - so, both the single and dual SIM S7 Edge in gold listed on the Technomaster Amazon store, will be covered by Samsung's international warranty outside of the USA- even though your Amazon listing states No Warranty?
Thanks.
Riz
Yeah we take the risk by buying these. I wouldn't even bother trying to deal with the logistics of sending these back to their origin for service. A local 3rd party repair shop will gladly take your money. Just make sure you choose one known for high quality work. My screen looks like new again after having been replaced. But again, very expensive exercise.
Hisma said:
Yes, wasn't an issue whatsoever. The LCDs are identical.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When I broke my S6 Edge screen, I sent it in for repair. When it came back, I found that in the process they had broken the speakerphone function, so I sent it back again, and this time was sent a new/refurbished device.
My point is that Samsung USA might not want to get involved with an international device, because they are aren't really set up to replace it if something goes wrong.
Just a thought, nothing more!
Regards,
Dave
Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk
Don't know about the S7, but I recall that for one of my prior phones (The S3, maybe) there were enough differences in the internal layout that while the screen was functionally identical, the ribbon connector mounting location was different, and the parts weren't interchangeable for that reason.
meyerweb said:
Don't know about the S7, but I recall that for one of my prior phones (The S3, maybe) there were enough differences in the internal layout that while the screen was functionally identical, the ribbon connector mounting location was different, and the parts weren't interchangeable for that reason.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
To be honest, whatever the internals may be, all the versions are made, guaranteed, and endorsed by samsung - they should honour "international" warranty to the very common and basic definition of the word. Even Blackberry has set-up dedicated phone and warrnaty lines for the Priv. I have had a iphone bought in the UK off a craigslist equivalent website replaced without question at an apple store in NYC. The problem was real, I wasn't the original buyer, the "genius" wasn't bothered, was very apologetic that they didn't have the UK version in-store, but that they would have it in 2 days - left with a new phone for a 8 months old 2nd hand used phone. I'm no apple fan at all, but their customer support is beyond excellent. I know this is all factored in the price apple charges, but the S7 is no cheapie either.
Bottom line, it is pretty poor of Samsung to offer such a restrictive warranty.
Regards.
Riz
meyerweb said:
Don't know about the S7, but I recall that for one of my prior phones (The S3, maybe) there were enough differences in the internal layout that while the screen was functionally identical, the ribbon connector mounting location was different, and the parts weren't interchangeable for that reason.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That is not the case with this phone.
This is an older post but I still wanted to respond to it. Today I experienced the same issue. The front and back screens are broken and my S7 edge is stuck in boot loop mode but after I pitched a fit over here with Samsung USA, they agreed to purge and force the IMEI number to be accepted by their system. They are to contact me in 24 - 72 hours once the IMEI number has been registered. I threatened with returning all of their phones to them and posting negative feedback on their facebook page. Within minutes they offered the above solution.
i have a s7 edge dual sim g935fd the sim lot may need to be replaced. my question is can i replace it whith a dual sim slot reader from a us version or not ?
Hey everyone,
Not sure exactly how to start this thread, but this is not only going to include a few questions from me, but also discussion on how this is possible, have you seen anything like it, and why its done?
So to start off, a few weeks ago my dad dropped his Galaxy A5 and broke the screen, long story short, got him a new phone, was a brand new flat Galaxy S7 from a local store in Pakistan.
The seller was very persistent in saying that it's a 100% genuine and even has warranty, albeit not one that applies in Pakistan, but it does have 'foreign warranty'.
Now I have to mention here that there are normally 3 types of phones available here:
-Sold officially through an authorized distributor / retailer. An official Samsung Galaxy S7 goes for about 620 USD with 1 year warranty and accidental coverage in Pakistan.
-Smuggled / imported illegally from abroad. Usually still sealed, you can tell because of the foreign languages on the instruction booklet, and/or a European CSC. A smuggled Galaxy S7 would go for about 550 - 570 USD.
-American variants of flagship phones, more commonly known as 'kit' phones. Imported in bulk, wrapped in bubble wrap, and shipped as is. No box, no accessories. Just the phone itself. A 'kit' T-Mobile Galaxy S7 (G930T) for example, would be around 400 - 420 USD depending on the seller.
I chose for option 2, the smuggled / imported one, for the sole reason that the official retailer for Samsung did not have a flat GS7 in stock, there was a 2 week waiting period. So I went for the smuggled one, since it was raining heavily that night, I was in a hurry to get home, so I didn't even open the phone in the shop, I just picked up what I thought was a 'brand new' phone and went on my way. The box said G930F, and Silver Titanium on it. It also had a suspicious 'Smart Care 24 month warranty' sticker on the top left corner of the box.
ALSO, I needed a Dual SIM phone, so I assumed the box would say G930FD, but it didn't, again, I noticed all this stuff when I got home.
See here:
As I started noticing these little things, I instantly noticed the sticker on the front of the box said:
SM-G9300FZKAXSG
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Now, the G9300 model means it's the Chinese / HK variant, with the Snapdragon 820, rather than the Exynos 8890.
However, the 'FZKAXSG' part was obviously fake, because the first few letters refer to the device colour and storage or something, and the 'XSG' part refers to the UAE CSC, which is impossible, since the G9300 is exclusive to HK and China.
I was hesitant to open the box, but I still went ahead with it, since fake boxes are also common here, I reluctantly cut the seal, and pulled out the phone, which at first glance, did not look silver AT ALL, in fact it looked nothing like my Silver Titanium S7 edge. It looked more 'Gold' to me than anything else, but I could be wrong.
In fact, it seems as if it's a mix of both Silver and Gold.
Excuse the fingerprints and air bubbles, I had actually put the plastic back on, after checking the phone, this picture was taken after I was done with the phone.
Turn the phone around, and there's the ordinary Samsung DUOS branding, underneath is where the sh*t begins. The font in which the IMEI, S/N, and country of origin are written looked 100% fake and again, nothing like the way it's written on my S7 Edge.
Furthermore, it said G930F on the back, which it definitely wasn't.
The sticker on the back that should've said G930FD if it actually was a Dual SIM, said G9300 instead. The IMEIs check out to be clean, but do not belong to an S7, you can check online.
Unsurprisingly, the accessories are also upside down, on my S7 Edge box, the headphones are on top, and the charger and cable are below it.
Now, I turned the phone on, went through the setup process, this is where I just wanted to punch myself and the seller.
Settings > About > Model Number: SM-G9300
It was Android 6.0.1, with a security patch of June 2016.
There was no Software update button anywhere in the settings app.
I downloaded the Phone Info app, and installed it. It said 0x0 KNOX, model number SM-G9300. Manufacturing date was March 2016, and the Colour / Internal Storage tab says 'Gold / 32GB'.
I checked the firmware tab, where the Bootloader, PDA and Baseband showed that of a G9300, but the CSC code said 'G9350ZZH1ABP9', which is that of an S7 Edge.
CSC code itself said 'TGY' which is a Hong Kong CSC, which I assume was done to get Google Play Services installed on the phone, since the G9300 has only one firmware available on SamMobile, which has a CHC CSC, which is Chinese, which means no Google Apps installed.
And just to confirm any remaining doubts I had, the Phone Info app confirmed it was a Snapdragon 820, and not the Exynos 8890.
So, this has fake IMEIs, a strange ROM with parts of the flat S7 and the S7 edge, a fake back cover, and probably because of the fake back cover, the camera hump and the chrome ring around the heart beat sensor and flash is protruding a lot more than it should be.
I then went back to the seller, where there was another guy already arguing with him, he had sold the same G9300 phone to that guy who was complaining that the phone would FC a lot, and was getting extremely warm.
I knew this seller, so I asked him to cut the bull**** and give me a 'real' brand new Galaxy S7. He handed me another shady looking S7 box, with G930FD on the back, took the phone out and it checks out to be a 930FD, hardware wise at least. Works like one, looks like one, has an Exynos chipset. BUT, NO Serial Number and IMEIs of a G930A? WTF
I then asked him about that again, where he goes to say, 'all the S7s coming to Pakistan are like this'. In the same location, there were a few other shops selling S7s and sadly, they were all like this. Fake back covers, fake IMEIs, fake boxes, and no serial numbers. They all work fine though.
Here is a Gold Platinum GS7 that I got from him, that works fine as well, but just has the weird protruding camera hump and the fake back cover that has the fake font and no Serial number written on it.
Sorry for the extremely long post, just wanted to create this thread for discussion purposes and to express how saddening it is to see this sort of crap happening, only in Pakistan as far as I know.
Let me know if you've seen anything like this before, and if so, where? Also, how do they manage to pull it off? Flashing different IMEIs, and why do the phones not have a Serial Number in the settings app? It just comes up as a bunch of random numbers, rather than starting with Rxxxxxxx and Phone Info detects no S/N at all.
However, all the phones have 0x0 KNOX and work perfectly fine as well. In fact, I even flashed 7.0 Nougat on it, and there's nothing wrong with it.
Cheers,
murtaza02
murtaza02 said:
Hey everyone,
Not sure exactly how to start this thread, but this is not only going to include a few questions from me, but also discussion on how this is possible, have you seen anything like it, and why its done?
So to start off, a few weeks ago my dad dropped his Galaxy A5 and broke the screen, long story short, got him a new phone, was a brand new flat Galaxy S7 from a local store in Pakistan.
The seller was very persistent in saying that it's a 100% genuine and even has warranty, albeit not one that applies in Pakistan, but it does have 'foreign warranty'.
Now I have to mention here that there are normally 3 types of phones available here:
-Sold officially through an authorized distributor / retailer. An official Samsung Galaxy S7 goes for about 620 USD with 1 year warranty and accidental coverage in Pakistan.
-Smuggled / imported illegally from abroad. Usually still sealed, you can tell because of the foreign languages on the instruction booklet, and/or a European CSC. A smuggled Galaxy S7 would go for about 550 - 570 USD.
-American variants of flagship phones, more commonly known as 'kit' phones. Imported in bulk, wrapped in bubble wrap, and shipped as is. No box, no accessories. Just the phone itself. A 'kit' T-Mobile Galaxy S7 (G930T) for example, would be around 400 - 420 USD depending on the seller.
I chose for option 2, the smuggled / imported one, for the sole reason that the official retailer for Samsung did not have a flat GS7 in stock, there was a 2 week waiting period. So I went for the smuggled one, since it was raining heavily that night, I was in a hurry to get home, so I didn't even open the phone in the shop, I just picked up what I thought was a 'brand new' phone and went on my way. The box said G930F, and Silver Titanium on it. It also had a suspicious 'Smart Care 24 month warranty' sticker on the top left corner of the box.
ALSO, I needed a Dual SIM phone, so I assumed the box would say G930FD, but it didn't, again, I noticed all this stuff when I got home.
See here:
As I started noticing these little things, I instantly noticed the sticker on the front of the box said:
Now, the G9300 model means it's the Chinese / HK variant, with the Snapdragon 820, rather than the Exynos 8890.
However, the 'FZKAXSG' part was obviously fake, because the first few letters refer to the device colour and storage or something, and the 'XSG' part refers to the UAE CSC, which is impossible, since the G9300 is exclusive to HK and China.
I was hesitant to open the box, but I still went ahead with it, since fake boxes are also common here, I reluctantly cut the seal, and pulled out the phone, which at first glance, did not look silver AT ALL, in fact it looked nothing like my Silver Titanium S7 edge. It looked more 'Gold' to me than anything else, but I could be wrong.
In fact, it seems as if it's a mix of both Silver and Gold.
Excuse the fingerprints and air bubbles, I had actually put the plastic back on, after checking the phone, this picture was taken after I was done with the phone.
Turn the phone around, and there's the ordinary Samsung DUOS branding, underneath is where the sh*t begins. The font in which the IMEI, S/N, and country of origin are written looked 100% fake and again, nothing like the way it's written on my S7 Edge.
Furthermore, it said G930F on the back, which it definitely wasn't.
The sticker on the back that should've said G930FD if it actually was a Dual SIM, said G9300 instead. The IMEIs check out to be clean, but do not belong to an S7, you can check online.
Unsurprisingly, the accessories are also upside down, on my S7 Edge box, the headphones are on top, and the charger and cable are below it.
Now, I turned the phone on, went through the setup process, this is where I just wanted to punch myself and the seller.
Settings > About > Model Number: SM-G9300
It was Android 6.0.1, with a security patch of June 2016.
There was no Software update button anywhere in the settings app.
I downloaded the Phone Info app, and installed it. It said 0x0 KNOX, model number SM-G9300. Manufacturing date was March 2016, and the Colour / Internal Storage tab says 'Gold / 32GB'.
I checked the firmware tab, where the Bootloader, PDA and Baseband showed that of a G9300, but the CSC code said 'G9350ZZH1ABP9', which is that of an S7 Edge.
CSC code itself said 'TGY' which is a Hong Kong CSC, which I assume was done to get Google Play Services installed on the phone, since the G9300 has only one firmware available on SamMobile, which has a CHC CSC, which is Chinese, which means no Google Apps installed.
And just to confirm any remaining doubts I had, the Phone Info app confirmed it was a Snapdragon 820, and not the Exynos 8890.
So, this has fake IMEIs, a strange ROM with parts of the flat S7 and the S7 edge, a fake back cover, and probably because of the fake back cover, the camera hump and the chrome ring around the heart beat sensor and flash is protruding a lot more than it should be.
I then went back to the seller, where there was another guy already arguing with him, he had sold the same G9300 phone to that guy who was complaining that the phone would FC a lot, and was getting extremely warm.
I knew this seller, so I asked him to cut the bull**** and give me a 'real' brand new Galaxy S7. He handed me another shady looking S7 box, with G930FD on the back, took the phone out and it checks out to be a 930FD, hardware wise at least. Works like one, looks like one, has an Exynos chipset. BUT, NO Serial Number and IMEIs of a G930A? WTF
I then asked him about that again, where he goes to say, 'all the S7s coming to Pakistan are like this'. In the same location, there were a few other shops selling S7s and sadly, they were all like this. Fake back covers, fake IMEIs, fake boxes, and no serial numbers. They all work fine though.
Here is a Gold Platinum GS7 that I got from him, that works fine as well, but just has the weird protruding camera hump and the fake back cover that has the fake font and no Serial number written on it.
Sorry for the extremely long post, just wanted to create this thread for discussion purposes and to express how saddening it is to see this sort of crap happening, only in Pakistan as far as I know.
Let me know if you've seen anything like this before, and if so, where? Also, how do they manage to pull it off? Flashing different IMEIs, and why do the phones not have a Serial Number in the settings app? It just comes up as a bunch of random numbers, rather than starting with Rxxxxxxx and Phone Info detects no S/N at all.
However, all the phones have 0x0 KNOX and work perfectly fine as well. In fact, I even flashed 7.0 Nougat on it, and there's nothing wrong with it.
Cheers,
murtaza02
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To be honest, the option you selected was the worst of all three. Purchasing a new boxed pack phone without local warranty is a very risky idea. I have bought a Note 4 Exynos, an S6 and an S7 during the last couple of years.
The Note 4 was N910C version in used condition with box and all accessories.
S6 was box packed without warranty or you can say with international warranty.
S7 was a verizon kit.
Guess what? The S6 proved to be my worst purchase ever. After a couple of months its charger stopped working and again after few days the handsfree also broke. While the Note 4 worked perfectly with all its accessories through out my holding period. Currently the S7 is also working perfectly and even its pressure sensor is showing the correct readings which shows it is still water proof sealed.
So always remember that in Pakistani markets, buying a new phone without local warranty is just like buying a refurbished phone and is 99% of the times, a waste of money.
Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
Pretty sure these devices are stolen/reported stolen/bad imei devices bought from another country. IMEI's have then been changed and serial numbers removed (not sure how they did that) so that they cannot be traced back. Boxes can be original or fake.
Also, your seller is shady, very shady. Pretty sure he knows what he's selling , else he would go after his distributor for selling him fake phones, but he aint. So, he very well knows what phone he's selling.
If I were in your position, I would have waited 2 weeks and got one from Samsung authorized seller.
sirius_gamer said:
To be honest, the option you selected was the worst of all three. Purchasing a new boxed pack phone without local warranty is a very risky idea. I have bought a Note 4 Exynos, an S6 and an S7 during the last couple of years.
The Note 4 was N910C version in used condition with box and all accessories.
S6 was box packed without warranty or you can say with international warranty.
S7 was a verizon kit.
Guess what? The S6 proved to be my worst purchase ever. After a couple of months its charger stopped working and again after few days the handsfree also broke. While the Note 4 worked perfectly with all its accessories through out my holding period. Currently the S7 is also working perfectly and even its pressure sensor is showing the correct readings which shows it is still water proof sealed.
So always remember that in Pakistani markets, buying a new phone without local warranty is just like buying a refurbished phone and is 99% of the times, a waste of money.
Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
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I might know you from another forum, PG.
Tbh, Karachi is a way different market than the crap you get here in Rawalpindi. There's way more variety there than there is here.
The things you mentioned with the S6, only the accessories died, which meant the phone was okay I guess?
Same for the S7, I'm not using the provided charger, I'm using my own that I got from Dubai.
Haven't tried the headphones.
Other than that however, the phone works perfectly.
I haven't had an issue before like this, most of the brand new phones I do buy are without local warranties, I don't fancy paying 10-15k extra for something I'll never use.
And believe me, thankfully, I've never had the need for a warranty.
The exception being my current S7 edge, which I've bought with the local warranty and insurance because the other ones weren't available.
Appreciate the post though, and the advice. After this I'm kinda spooked, so I'll probably stick to local warranties then, even though they're unreasonably expensive.
Cheers buddy, nice to see Pakistanis on XDA.
Sent from my SM-G935F
munchy_cool said:
Pretty sure these devices are stolen/reported stolen/bad imei devices bought from another country. IMEI's have then been changed and serial numbers removed (not sure how they did that) so that they cannot be traced back. Boxes can be original or fake.
Also, your seller is shady, very shady. Pretty sure he knows what he's selling , else he would go after his distributor for selling him fake phones, but he aint. So, he very well knows what phone he's selling.
If I were in your position, I would have waited 2 weeks and got one from Samsung authorized seller.
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The original IMEIs were probably bad, hence them being changed to those of different phones, makes sense.
I myself didn't know that erasing or changing serials and IMEIs on Exynos phones was possible.
Sadly, the shady seller thing is true, all sellers know what they're selling, but each one will react differently when asked about it. Some will eventually crack and be honest, some will be stubborn d*cks and not admit it, and some will be so scared of the authorities that they'll offer you some form of compensation.
Advice taken though, and definitely will be used for the next purchase. I was looking forward to getting an imported Galaxy S8 then, but after this experience, I'll probably just settle for the officially sold one with a legit warranty.
Sent from my SM-G935F
murtaza02 said:
The original IMEIs were probably bad, hence them being changed to those of different phones, makes sense.
I myself didn't know that erasing or changing serials and IMEIs on Exynos phones was possible.
Sadly, the shady seller thing is true, all sellers know what they're selling, but each one will react differently when asked about it. Some will eventually crack and be honest, some will be stubborn d*cks and not admit it, and some will be so scared of the authorities that they'll offer you some form of compensation.
Advice taken though, and definitely will be used for the next purchase. I was looking forward to getting an imported Galaxy S8 then, but after this experience, I'll probably just settle for the officially sold one with a legit warranty.
Sent from my SM-G935F
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Samsung Service box is what they would have used I guess, same hardware as that at official Samsung repair center.
Also, because you are technically sound/tech sayvy you found that the first one was fake. Someone who is not technically sound would never have found that out and kept using it assuming it's the real thing.
munchy_cool said:
Samsung Service box is what they would have used I guess, same hardware as that at official Samsung repair center.
Also, because you are technically sound/tech sayvy you found that the first one was fake. Someone who is not technically sound would never have found that out and kept using it assuming it's the real thing.
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All tips and tricks I've learnt from XDA. I honestly wouldn't be able to tell at all, if I hadn't read so much stuff here.
Another thing I wonder is if the refurbishment or tampering was done inside Pakistan, or somewhere abroad and then the boxes get repacked and sent here?
Because it's really inconsistent how the boxes are so well copied, they look exactly like real ones, but then the IMEI stickers, the different font on the back cover, the protruding camera lens is where they lack the finesse, and their shoddy workmanship starts to show.
Sent from my SM-G935F
murtaza02 said:
All tips and tricks I've learnt from XDA. I honestly wouldn't be able to tell at all, if I hadn't read so much stuff here.
Another thing I wonder is if the refurbishment or tampering was done inside Pakistan, or somewhere abroad and then the boxes get repacked and sent here?
Because it's really inconsistent how the boxes are so well copied, they look exactly like real ones, but then the IMEI stickers, the different font on the back cover, the protruding camera lens is where they lack the finesse, and their shoddy workmanship starts to show.
Sent from my SM-G935F
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No clue on that.. Would be profitable to do it inside your own country though...
Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk
I have seen similar things but your case is unique. You should return the phone and ask for full refund from your seller and then buy phone from Samsung store.
We can't say for sure about that other shops or market is selling same phones. May be it is just your guy.
Sent from my Note
Guys, could you with 930F and FD confirm if the serial number is printed on the back cover of your phones?
Sent from my SM-G935F
murtaza02 said:
Guys, could you with 930F and FD confirm if the serial number is printed on the back cover of your phones?
Sent from my SM-G935F
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Yep, G930F laid out like this
IMEI xxxxxx/xxxxx/xxxx. SN xxxxxxxxxx
*Detection* said:
Yep, G930F laid out like this
IMEI xxxxxx/xxxxx/xxxx. SN xxxxxxxxxx
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Much appreciated.
Country of origin mentioned as well?
Actually I'm going out tomorrow to return the refurbished ones to the seller and get a refund.
Gonna show him this thread just to prove him wrong. Idiot keeps insisting that S/N isn't printed on the S7, but it is on the S7 edge.
Sent from my SM-G935F
murtaza02 said:
Much appreciated.
Country of origin mentioned as well?
Actually I'm going out tomorrow to return the refurbished ones to the seller and get a refund.
Gonna show him this thread just to prove him wrong. Idiot keeps insisting that S/N isn't printed on the S7, but it is on the S7 edge.
Sent from my SM-G935F
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CE0168 (!) (Not to be disposed in bins symbol here)
G930F SAMSUNG, YATELEY, GU46 6GG, UK
DESIGNED & ENGINEERED BY SAMSUNG
IMEI: XXXXXX/XX/XXXXXX/X S/N: XXXXXXXXXX
That's everything it says at the bottom of the back panel of the G930F S7 Flat
*Detection* said:
CE0168 (!) (Not to be disposed in bins symbol here)
G930F SAMSUNG, YATELEY, GU46 6GG, UK
DESIGNED & ENGINEERED BY SAMSUNG
IMEI: XXXXXX/XX/XXXXXX/X S/N: XXXXXXXXXX
That's everything it says at the bottom of the back panel of the G930F S7 Flat
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That's exactly how it is on my S7 edge as well.
Thanks for confirming.
Sent from my SM-G935F
murtaza02 said:
That's exactly how it is on my S7 edge as well.
Thanks for confirming.
Sent from my SM-G935F
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No probs, good luck with the refund
How do you know the phone is even genuine samsung hardware, not fake imitations that china manufacturers are pumping out?
The stolen IMEI is possible but why would changing that number require a new fake back cover to be put in place? Seems very odd.
Also regarding dodgy sellers knowing what they selling usually by their reaction you can tell if they aware, e.g. I brought 2 western digital hard drives from amazon about 6 months ago from a 3rd party selller, I noticed odd behaviour with the drives so started checking details of the firmware etc. and then someone gave me a tip to check the serial numbers on western digital's website, sure enough the serials were invalid and that confirmed they were fake's. It turned out the seller was in my city, so I paid him a visit, he wasnt there but I spoke to him on the phone, and he was giving me excuses like they HP OEM drives not using WD warranty, for sure I knew then he knew what he was selling, as otherwise he would have been in shock, thank me for the discovery and pulled his product of the amazon website. In the end he refunded me and I purchased them again directly from amazon.
I live in the UK which shows this stuff isnt limited to eastern countries.
murtaza02 said:
Guys, could you with 930F and FD confirm if the serial number is printed on the back cover of your phones?
Sent from my SM-G935F
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Yes. The back says "SM G930FD. DESIGNED AND ENGINEERED BY SAMSUNG. MANUFACTURED IN INDIA. IMEI 1/2 and then the S/N"
Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk
chrcol said:
How do you know the phone is even genuine samsung hardware, not fake imitations that china manufacturers are pumping out?
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I don't know man. Phone Info claimed the phone was genuine but was missing a valid Samsung S/N.
It showed Exynos 8890 and everything seemed okay, it even accepted a G930F Odin file and I flashed it to Nougat.
IMEIs belonged to some budget AT&T phones from the US, the quality of the back cover was horrendous, you could tell the font was wrong, and don't even get me started on the box. It was so poorly copied, I just hate myself for not checking while I was at the store.
Anyway, I did eventually go back and get a refund from him, and I'm sure as hell not going back to that guy again.
He was so stubborn, he refused to admit they were refurbished / fakes and kept insisting they were brand new.
Sent from my SM-G935F
djpeesh said:
Yes. The back says "SM G930FD. DESIGNED AND ENGINEERED BY SAMSUNG. MANUFACTURED IN INDIA. IMEI 1/2 and then the S/N"
Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk
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The fake didn't say anything about being engineered by Samsung.
It was like:
SM-G930F SAMSUNG YATELEY GU46 6GG UK
MADE BY SAMSUNG
IMEI 1: IMEI 2:
No S/N and no country of origin either. Also, none of the phones said G930FD regardless of being Dual SIM.
Sent from my SM-G935F
murtaza02 said:
I don't know man. Phone Info claimed the phone was genuine but was missing a valid Samsung S/N.
It showed Exynos 8890 and everything seemed okay, it even accepted a G930F Odin file and I flashed it to Nougat.
IMEIs belonged to some budget AT&T phones from the US, the quality of the back cover was horrendous, you could tell the font was wrong, and don't even get me started on the box. It was so poorly copied, I just hate myself for not checking while I was at the store.
Anyway, I did eventually go back and get a refund from him, and I'm sure as hell not going back to that guy again.
He was so stubborn, he refused to admit they were refurbished / fakes and kept insisting they were brand new.
Sent from my SM-G935F
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We have a market here in Bombay where you get almost perfect knockoff phones. They're so perfect that you can't figure out what's real and what's not.
My regular phonewalla was telling me about how he got scammed by someone who exchanged a fake S7 (somehow they don't seem to have S7 edge fakes) for 25k rupees and bought some other phone. He only found out when he sold that phone to another customer and that customer took it to the service center for some issue.
He's now started making sure that people's numbers are actually their own and asking for address proof whilst exchanging phones.
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