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Other Genuine Apple or sus?

Livvie

Livvie

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jun 29, 2021
219
344
Wales
Some guy on Facebook marketplace is selling loaaadss of iPhones. All are price listed as £0 but description says swap or offers.
Here are pics of some of them:
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I also thought it was weird that they don’t seem to have the normal writing on the back - ‘designed by apple, assembled in China’ with the usual disposal symbols etc. I thought these we regulatory? But it doesn’t even say iPhone on the back.

How does he even have so many? It doesn’t say refurbished. Are they stolen or imported or something? Or do you think its genuine?
 
As someone who has has gotten fakes of varying items on eBay, keep in mind the person could also use pictures that are not of the actual product but rather that he grabbed from elsewhere. So the pictures may look good but when you receive the product it is not the same item. But usually as the saying goes if it is too good to be true then watch out..
 
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The fact that all of the images have a different background, and photo quality, should be a huge red flag.
Stay away from Facebook listings.

You can reverse search the images and see that they are not theirs, they're from various places like YouTube and articles.
 
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Lived in China for 6 years. You’d be surprised to what extent they can produce fakes. They even have different levels of Quality. Cheap $25 Rolex with ticking second hand. Better fake $50 Rolex with sweeping second hand (BTW: these keep better time than my genuine Rolex). Scandisk memory cards, impossible to tell the fake from the real. Fake purses, TV’s DVD players, fake NorthFace, copied DVD’s, top of the line golf clubs. You name it, they can fake it.
 
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My mom told me if it’s too good to be true……. I saw really good fakes in Asia so I am not surprised they are so common. Fakes so good in pictures and from a short distance they look great and genuine.
 
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Offer a bag of fruit pastels. Probably worth more.
Local news report some years ago when a lad got caught out on the bay of e buying a load of expensive phones, from east europe somewhere, obviously money went and nothing to show for it. Very cheap price was the hook. Usual caveat, if it looks too good to be true it is.
 
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iPhone 12 has the regulatory markings on the right hand side.

But yeah it screams ‘scam’. Wouldn’t be surprised if the ‘swap’ involves a genuine handset. Customer goes home and a short while later the IMEI is blacklisted because it’s been reported as lost/stolen.
 
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Right about the youtube screen grabs. I bet they thought they wouldn't get caught or would look more genuine. I shall be reporting them.
 
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iGeek2019 said:
iPhone 12 has the regulatory markings on the right hand side.

But yeah it screams ‘scam’. Wouldn’t be surprised if the ‘swap’ involves a genuine handset. Customer goes home and a short while later the IMEI is blacklisted because it’s been reported as lost/stolen.
Click to expand...
This. And the insurance scam. All of which involves a legit phone but 6 months later, you're screwed. Dont bother with these BNIB, dsaldsal in box, sealed BS etc. Doesnt matter what the cover/sob story is - Assume all are scams/stolen/counterfeit
 
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WildSky said:
As the saying goes, I wouldn't give him the time of day. I'd never buy a phone from anyone other than an Apple store or authorized reseller.
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And even then, I now refuse to buy from my carrier (T-Mobile). I’ve had a couple of “new” phones that turned out to be used or traded in devices. My first was an 11 pro max. It was scratched on the back and wouldn’t load the internal storage space. Returned it. My second was an se2, also scratched, but on the screen. Also returned. I now only buy directly from apple.
 
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nrvous1 said:
And even then, I now refuse to buy from my carrier (T-Mobile). I’ve had a couple of “new” phones that turned out to be used or traded in decides. My first was an 11 pro max. It was scratched on the back and wouldn’t load the internal storage space. Returned it. My second was an se2, also scratched, but on the screen. Also returned. I now only buy directly from apple.
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They sold those devices as new!? I bet Apple wouldn't be too happy if they found out.
 
nrvous1 said:
And even then, I now refuse to buy from my carrier (T-Mobile). I’ve had a couple of “new” phones that turned out to be used or traded in devices. My first was an 11 pro max. It was scratched on the back and wouldn’t load the internal storage space. Returned it. My second was an se2, also scratched, but on the screen. Also returned. I now only buy directly from apple.
Click to expand...

That’s so bad. I feel like these companies will do anything to save a few £££ including pulling one over on their loyal customers :(
 
PC_tech said:
No, the person working sold them as new, not Tmobile, I work for Tmobile and that’s not anything we’d do.
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I’d have to agree.

What I also found strange was that my se2 was shipped to me fro Micro-Tel; T-Mobile’s 3rd party trade in servicer(?). That was red flag #1 this time around. The 2nd red flag was the deeply scratched screen.
 
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nrvous1 said:
I’d have to agree.

What I also found strange was that my se2 was shipped to me fro Micro-Tel; T-Mobile’s 3rd party trade in servicer(?). That was red flag #1 this time around. The 2nd red flag was the deeply scratched screen.
Click to expand...

Yeah tbf sounds like more of a mix up
 
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