Now fake phones are being sold indiscriminately! How to recognize whether a smartphone is real or fake? The work will be done with an SMS

Nowadays, smartphones have become an essential part of our lives, but fake and duplicate phones are also increasing rapidly in the market. Many times the phone looks absolutely genuine, but internally it may be of poor quality or fake. One such case has come to light from the famous Karol Bagh market of Delhi. Here the police have recently caught a big fake smartphone racket.

This incident took place in December 2025, where expensive Samsung phones like Ultra, Flip and Fold models were being made by adding cheap parts from China. These were sold from Vietnam with fake IMEI stickers for Rs 35-40 thousand, whereas the price of genuine phones is more than Rs 1 lakh.

Police recovered half-finished phones, batteries and other parts from the shop and also arrested four people. This means that fake phones are now being sold openly.

These phones look like real ones, but they get damaged within a few days. Warranty is not available, service is not provided and sometimes there is a risk of data leak. The greed for cheap prices can cause huge losses. So while buying a phone, remember these four things and also check whether the phone is real or fake.

• Buy only from the company’s official store: Always buy from the brand’s own store or a big authorized dealer. Be suspicious of deep discounts in local shops.
• Check the box and bill: Check the quality of the packaging – logo, spelling should all be correct. Don’t forget to take the original bill.
• Be sure to verify the IMEI number: Check the IMEI by dialing *#06# in the phone. Match it with the settings of the box and phone. Then check on Sanchar Sathi portal whether it is a duplicate or not. Also check the build quality carefully.
• The most reliable way to check from a government portal is to visit the Sanchar Saathi portal (sancharsaathi.gov.in) or the CEIR portal (ceir.sancharsaathi.gov.in). Enter your 15 digit IMEI in the ‘Know Your Mobile (KYM)’ or IMEI Verification section. Sometimes OTP will come on the mobile number.
• If the status appears ‘Genuine’ or valid, then it is fine. Do not take the phone if ‘Duplicate’, ‘Blacklisted’ or ‘Invalid’ appears.
• Check by SMS: Type SMS from any phone: KYM <स्पेस> 15 digit IMEI number/ send this to 14422. The status of the phone will appear in the reply – whether it is genuine or not.
• Complain if it turns out to be fake: If you accidentally find a fake phone, then immediately complain to the police and give the details of the shop. Other people can be saved from this.

Vigilance is the biggest weapon to stop this flood of fake phones. Next time you go shopping, follow these tips. A phone purchased without correct information can not only waste your money but can also become a threat to your privacy and data.