Full check of iPhone by serial number. What is a serial number? How to check if your iPhone has been repaired

Buying a used device is a good way to save money, since many people sell their phones and tablets almost immediately after purchase, but you still have to reduce the price, and at the current prices for equipment from Apple, this will be a decent discount. But when buying a used device, there is one big risk - paying for a broken or non-original iPhone or tablet. To avoid falling for scammers, you need to check the device before purchasing and follow several rules, which will be discussed in the next part of the article.

How to check an iPhone when buying second-hand

If you still decide to purchase an iPhone, iPad or iPad touch from your own hands, and not from an official store, then the first thing you should pay attention to is the seller himself. This is a weak indicator, but before you buy something from a person, see if he inspires trust. If this is a supplier that is engaged in mass resale of used devices, then read reviews about it, contact its former clients: ask them if they were satisfied with their purchase, if the device broke some time after activation. But remember that many scammers fake reviews, which means not everything said about a seller on the Internet may be true.

If the issue is resolved with the seller, then the next thing worth checking is the device itself.

Appearance

Before purchasing, go to the official store and hold the desired device in your hands, study the tactile sensations of the material from which it is made. Find out the approximate prices at which you can buy an original device; if its used version differs in price too much, then it’s worth considering.

Items required to test the device

So, if you are making a deal, then in order to be completely confident in the operation of the device, you need to have the following things with you:

• Working headphones, you will need them in order to check whether they work with the device you are purchasing. Do not hesitate to ask the seller to give you the device for testing, this is a mandatory step. You can't buy a device without checking to see if it runs the programs you care about and activates certain features.
• A laptop on which iTunes will be installed, which will allow you to check many of the characteristics of the device. How to do this will be discussed below in the same article.
• An external battery that can be used to check whether the device is charging or not.
• A phone with stable mobile internet.
• SIM card - this is useful for checking cellular and Internet connections.
• A paper clip or a special key that comes with Apple devices. These items will be needed to remove the SIM card tray from the device body.

Having the above things, you can easily check the operation of all functions and applications of the purchased device. What parameters you need to pay closer attention to will be described further.

How to distinguish the device model

If this is not your first time encountering Apple devices, you can skip this point. But if this is your first time buying equipment from Apple, then this information will be very useful for you. It's easy to distinguish an iPhone 5 from an iPhone 6, but it's a little more difficult to distinguish an iPhone 4 from an iPhone 4S.

The two models are distinguished by their model number, which can be found on the back cover when turning the device face down.

Also distinguishing one model from another is the appearance of the rear camera and the Home button. The iPhone 5 has a narrower camera, while the iPhone 5S has a square on the Home button, which indicates the presence of the Touch ID function.

Various cameras

It is easier to distinguish these two models - just turn the front side of the device with the screen down, and on the back check for a diamond-shaped icon with the English letter S.

Differences between models

Here the situation is similar to the iPhone 5, since you can check the device model using the code on the back of the case:

The device model can also be determined by the location of the antennas.

Various antenna locations

You can read more about all device models on the official Apple website by clicking on the following link - https://support.apple.com/ru-ru/HT201296.

Checking the water sensor

Before purchasing a device, you need to make sure that it has not been recessed. If water gets inside your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, it can either break down every second or corrode the metal, leading to failure weeks or months later. Another important factor is the fact that a device exposed to water will automatically void the warranty.

Apple devices have a special external sensor - Liquid Contact Indicators, a humidity indicator. If water has ever gotten inside the device, this sensor changes color from gray or white to bright red. More details about where this indicator is located on different phone models are outlined in the table:

Looking for the location of the indicator for your device

Equipment

Now let's look at what should be in the box, besides the phone itself:

All other accessories must be purchased separately. If one of the components of the package is not in the box upon sale, then this must be separately agreed with the seller and will affect the price of the product.

Authentication

The next step is to verify the authenticity of the device using the serial number and unique IMEI code. This data can be found on the back of the box, on a special sticker. But this data should not be trusted, since the box may be from another device or the sticker may be fake.

Looking for IMEI and serial number

There is a more reliable way to find out this information - through the settings of your phone or tablet, where no one can falsify them.

Another way to find out the codes we need is to pull out the tray where the SIM card is located and read the serial number and IMEI indicated on it. You can remove the tray using a paper clip. This method has one drawback - not all device models have codes indicated on the tray.

We look at the IMEI code and serial number

The last way to find out the IMEI is to turn the back of the device and look at the small letters and numbers at the bottom of the cover, among which our treasured number is located.

We look at IMEI

As soon as you are done finding out the numbers and codes, you should go to one of the sites suggested below and enter the necessary data there. The site will show you detailed information about the device: color, release date, contents and filling, model number. Compare all the data with what you see on the device itself and with what the seller himself told you. If everything matches, then you can understand further. List of sites providing similar services for providing information about Apple devices:

Checking for recoveries

Enter the serial number

Checking for blocking

There are three types of Apple mobile devices:

• Lock - phones that only work with one pre-defined carrier. That is, if you purchase such a device, you will be able to use the services of only one company that provides cellular communications and mobile Internet, and no other.
• Neverlock is a device without any restrictions in the field of operator choice.
• Softunlock is a device that used to belong to the Lock group, but then was “unlocked” by software, that is, it now has all the parameters characteristic of Neverlock.

Of course, Lock devices are a little cheaper than Neverlock, but this saving will not lead to anything good, and there will be quite a lot of problems with a predefined operator, without the right to change it.

How to identify an unlocked device?

There are several characteristic signs that help to identify a device that was unlocked software:

Functional and physical testing

Now there is the last, but practically the most important stage - checking the standard capabilities of the device and its appearance.

Frame

Check if there are any noticeable dents, cracks, or broken pieces on the case. All of these parameters can tell you how often the device has been dropped and subjected to other physical impacts. Particularly dangerous are damage to the antenna area, which can lead to communication interference.

Checking for external damage

Screws

There should be two unscrewed screws near the USB cable input. If they are missing, then we can safely say that the device was disassembled manually and, accordingly, the warranty does not apply to it.

Checking for screws

Buttons

Check how well all the buttons perform their functions, since replacing buttons in the service can require a lot of money.

Camera

Check the front and rear cameras for external damage. Try to photograph something with both cameras. If you notice inaccurate colors, the camera sensor may be damaged.

There should be no scratches on the camera

Screen

Open various applications, restart your device, check for dead pixels (black dots). If when you press the screen there is a crunch, or you feel unevenness or emptiness, then the screen is not original, it has been replaced. Pay attention to the uniformity of brightness and color reproduction.

The screen must not be scratched

Screen sensor

Move icons around your device menu, making sure they move smoothly. Try using the device in horizontal and vertical positions. If possible, quickly type the message on the keyboard, and all the letters you press should appear on the screen. If this does not happen, then the device has obvious problems with the sensor.

Checking the sensor

Battery

Start shooting a video and check how much the device shrinks in 2-3 minutes. A range of 1–5% is acceptable, all other parameters mean there is a problem, and no one wants to change the battery immediately after purchase.

Cellular connection

Speaker

Everything is simple here - turn on any melody and check how well the device reproduces it. There should be no interference, no jumping, no rustling. You can also check the speaker during a telephone conversation.

Wi-Fi, Bluetooth

Check if these two functions work. Remember that Bluetooth only works with other Apple devices; it will not transfer files with Android. The device must quickly connect to the Wi-Fi network and be able to download files through it.

Charger

For this item, you took a third-party battery with you. Connect it to your device and check if it charges.

Connecting to iTunes

If you happen to take your laptop with you, try syncing your device with iTunes. This will confirm its authenticity. You should not buy a phone or tablet that is not recognized in iTunes.

Sign out of your Apple ID account

The last thing you should do before paying money for a device is to completely sign out of the old Apple ID account that belongs to the previous owner. Otherwise, he can declare the device missing at any time and block it remotely, without asking your consent at all.

The number of counterfeits is also growing, so you need to know how to properly check an iPhone for authenticity when purchasing.

Also, it is important to be able to determine whether the phone is stolen and whether it is eligible for warranty service in iStore stores.

Just a few years ago, a counterfeit device could be immediately distinguished from the original model, because Chinese counterfeits were made of poor quality.

This applied to both the device body and its software shell.

Today it is extremely difficult to distinguish a fake from an original Apple product., so before purchasing it is important to familiarize yourself with how you can confirm originality.

Contents:

What you need to know aboutiPhone?

The easiest way to avoid falling for a scammer is to buy only from official dealers.

These can be trusted online stores or equipment supermarkets that have been selling Apple equipment for many years, have good reviews on various online platforms and provide customers with warranty service.

It is important to note that the cost of iPhone at official dealers is 20% -30% more the price that Apple claims. This is why many people order smartphones directly from the USA through distributors. Another way to save money is to buy a used device that is in excellent condition.

Remember, with all methods of buying at a lower cost, there are a lot of pitfalls that you need to be aware of. The first way to save is These are devices from the USA.

In the States it’s really much cheaper than here, and there are no problems with the availability of different colors either.

However, you cannot simply order a device from the USA. Such a purchase will not make sense, because the gadget will not work anywhere except the USA.

According to American law, every phone purchased must be assigned to one of the national cellular service providers.

This linking is carried out immediately upon purchase. There is not a single American operator operating in the Russian Federation, so the smartphone will not work.

The verification procedure should include an inspection of the external parameters of the phone, as well as checking all serial numbers and software shell:

• Case condition, including external features of each iPhone model;
• Checking the technical characteristics of the model;
• Authenticity of serial number and IMEI code;
• Apple ID verification.

Stage 1. VerificationIMEI, serial number and parametersiOS

Never buy an iPhone without a manufacturer's box, because with its help you can immediately determine the authenticity of the phone.

Go to your device settings and open the tab "Basic". And then "About this device". A window will open in which all the factory settings of the smartphone will be displayed.

They must match the information indicated on the box. If the data is not identical, the device is fake or stolen, and the seller is trying to sell it to you in a box from a different model.

Stage 2. Verification through the official websiteApple

Each user can verify its authenticity using the Apple website. This source is the most accurate and reliable. Examination it will only take how many minutes:

Please note, the main purpose of the service is to check the possibility of service. We recommend using the site even if you buy a phone at official points of sale. Often, chain stores may try to sell an iPhone that has previously been returned due to non-working condition.

Online service shows the following information:

• Smartphone model;
• Serial number;
• Date of purchase;
• Availability of technical support and warranty service.

Important! If the valid warranty period is an optional parameter for a used smartphone, then the field "Valid date of purchase" must be marked with a green tick. This means that the smartphone is genuine and was purchased from an official dealer.

You can check the IMEI number on the website. The service will show the country of manufacture, date of purchase and information about whether the device was restored.

Activation Lock– what is it and how to check?

Activation Lock is a function that allows you to block . This way, if your phone goes missing, no one will be able to unlock it. Activation Lock is activated through the service. Data that the phone was stolen is instantly added to Apple's unified database.

To check if your iPhone is stolen, follow these steps:

All about bindingiPhoneToApple ID

Apple ID- This is an online service, without being tied to it it will not work. The site is needed to identify the user. In simple words, the user creates his account in the system, and then enters the account data on each of his devices.

Thus, it is linked to a personal page. , gestures and other biometric options will be available on all gadgets.

Even if it is stolen, another person will not be able to use the phone.

Before purchasing an iPhone from an uncertified seller, be sure to. No one's account should be linked to the smartphone.

If you see that the previous owner has not logged out of the account, ask the seller to disable the ID used in the smartphone.

If he refers to the fact that he forgot the password a long time ago and you can quickly figure out the settings at home, cancel such a purchase. If you can’t log out of your Apple ID, your phone is stolen.

If the seller really forgot or did not know that it is not enough to simply reset the phone to factory settings, ask him unlink from Apple ID in front of you:

• Go to the device settings;
• Click on the item "Basic", and then on "Apple ID";
• In the window that opens, a key will appear to log into your account if the gadget is not linked to an Apple ID. If the phone is still assigned to someone else’s page, the user’s name and photo will be displayed in the settings;

• Click on the item "Security and Password"(“Password and Security”);
• In the new window, click on the button "Exit"(“Sign Out”).

Apple technology has recently been increasingly used by scammers as a powerful trademark for making money. The thing is that almost every second person has dreamed or dreams of getting a beautiful and multifunctional iPhone for themselves in order to show off with it in front of friends and create beautiful selfie-style photos. But such gadgets in Russia are too expensive due to the high exchange rate of the ruble, and therefore desperate “dreamers” are trying to buy used versions on the Internet, for example, in Avito.

Due to the fact that even those users who have already used an iPhone are often deceived, there is no point in talking about newcomers at all. This article was written specifically so that anyone who wants to buy an iPhone can thoroughly check it and personally see that it is original. This procedure can be compared to buying a car, but since some iPhone models are sometimes more expensive than the Russian auto industry, you need to be very careful. We have described all the ways to check an iPhone for originality.

The first thing you need to start checking is an external inspection of the iPhone. If the user has never owned Apple technology before, we recommend that you look at several reviews of the model you decide to buy before purchasing. This will help you understand how closely the device being sold matches the original in appearance.

Apple takes the security of its smartphones and brand protection seriously, so it tries in every possible way to label the products it produces.

The first step is to inspect the device visually. On the back there should be a logo with an apple core, and under it at the bottom of the smartphone there will be inscriptions like this:

• Designed to be Apple in California;
• Assembled in China.

Yes, many craftsmen have been counterfeiting such markings for a long time, but sometimes you come across very lazy scammers who rely only on the buyer’s inattention.

It is also necessary to inspect the device body. All Apple products are famous for their quality, so in most cases on the iPhone all edges will be smooth, without any gaps or unevenness, roughness.

Another important tip is to look on the Internet in what colors this or that model was produced. If the seller shows a device of a completely different color, it is 100% fake. Apple does not release any separate batches with other colors; it does not change panels to other colors for specific users.

Particular attention should be paid to inspecting the camera, the side dividers, and the latch for silent mode. All these details have their own clear colors, boundaries, shapes, so in many cases they may differ from the original.

It is also worth trying to remove the back cover of the phone. If it is removed, it is 100% not original. The iPhone batteries cannot be simply removed, the flash card cannot be inserted, so the cover cannot be opened with one click, but must be unscrewed with special small screwdrivers.

Also, all devices up to the iPhone X have only 1 slot for inserting a SIM card and are opened with a special needle, which is provided with the gadget.

Reconciliation of iPhone data and packaging

When purchasing iPhones, you must ask the seller for the original packaging in which it was originally located. If the seller was the first to purchase a given iPhone, in most cases the box will be kept.

The information on the packaging must be compared with the information on the phone itself. To do this, just turn the box over and find information such as:

• Part No—batch number;
• Serial No - serial number;
• IMEI/MEID - unique phone identifier.

The same information will be provided on the smartphone. If it matches the data on the box, you can move on to the next step. To view this data on your iPhone, you need to follow these steps:

If all the data agrees, move on to the next point. If the information does not match what is on the box, it means the packaging is from another smartphone or the data in the device is simply corrupted.

iPhone authentication on Apple website

On the official Apple website, you can check any smartphone and get information about it if the data is correct, and it doesn’t matter how new the user’s model is. Data is available for all versions, and this is history from 2007!

To once again make sure that you are purchasing an original device, we recommend going to the website and entering the iPhone serial number, which will be in the purchased gadget.

1. To find the serial number, go to Settings, go to the About device tab and scroll down;
2. Find the “Serial number” item and enter this data on the website, confirming the operation by entering a captcha.

If the iPhone is original, a photo of it will appear and information will be provided about what services are still active for it, such as technical support, service or repair rights.

Sometimes when checking it asks you to enter the date of purchase. This indicates that the phone is new and has not yet been activated. The fact is that after activation, all iPhones connect to the Internet and transmit information to official Apple servers, where the activation date is assigned to them. If an error appears, but the serial number was entered correctly, you can say with complete confidence that the seller is being disingenuous and trying to sell a fake.

Attention! We recommend checking any purchased iPhone through the official Apple service to see whether the device has been restored or not. Sometimes retail outlets, after returning and repairing smartphones, sell them at the same price as new ones, although refurbished iPhones should be sold at a price several times lower.

Checking your phone by IMEI

Checking is possible not only by serial number, but also by IMEI. This is a unique identifier that is assigned to each smartphone. That is, there are no identical IMEIs for different phones in the world, and their history dates back to the 90s, when popular models from Nokia, Siemens and other phones were produced.

Look at the IMEI of the phone you need to check. There are several ways to do this:

Check service No. 1

Now you need to check it on the official website of all unique identifiers. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Follow the link;
2. Enter IMEI in the field, enter the captcha and click Check.

If the data is correct, the system will show the device model and brand to which this IMEI belongs. For example, in our example, the site showed that the ID belongs to an iPhone 8.

If the data is not displayed, we can assume that the specified IMEI was simply specified randomly, so you should not purchase such a smartphone, since it is a fake.

Service for verification No. 2

Can’t get information through the service mentioned above, but the owner claims that this is an original device? You can use another site that will show all the information.

1. Go to the website;
2. Enter the serial number or IMEI of the device in the field and click “Check”.

Detailed information on iPhone will also be provided here. Moreover, if it turns out to be stolen, and the owner has entered data about this, a special tab will be displayed on the site, which signals the theft of the device.

You can also request additional information, for example, whether the phone is locked, activation date, SIM status, etc., but it is paid and will cost about 2-3 dollars.

Checking through the Apple Store

Almost all counterfeit iPhones, even if they have an identical appearance, a semblance of iOS, well copied to the current version, however, they do not know how to connect to the Apple Store service. And in principle, this will be impossible, since the service identifies each smartphone in the database, and only after authorization allows you to download applications.

To check your phone, follow these steps:

1. On the iPhone you decided to check, go to the Apple Store and try using the search;
2. If it doesn’t give any results, go to any category to try to find any application and download it;
3. Also go to Safari, enter any request with an application from the Apple Store in the search and follow the link that will lead to this service.

If the phone is not original, then in all cases you will not be able to download the application from the service, and the system will not even allow you to connect to the Apple Store.

If the iPhone is original, then no matter what method you use to switch to the download service, it will be successful, resulting in specific information about the application from the search results or the main page of the Apple Store being displayed.

Checking via iTunes

You can also check the authenticity of your iPhone through iTunes. This is a universal assistant for working with all Apple devices, which helps not only with restoring or transferring music and files, but also allows you to check whether the iPhone you connected to the computer is original or not.

To check, just follow these steps:

1. Connect your smartphone using a USB cable to your computer;
2. If a notification appears on your phone asking whether to trust this PC, click “Trust”;
3. Open iTunes on your computer. It is advisable to use the latest version;
4. The system will automatically detect the new device and display it in the list;
5. If the phone was not detected, first check whether your Windows or Mac can see it at all by going to the list of all connected devices.

In almost 99% of cases, the connection of original Apple devices occurs correctly and no problems arise. If the iPhone is not detected by iTunes, this may already indicate that this is a fake.

In general, the entire range of methods that we have listed will help you determine with 100% probability whether you are holding an original iPhone in your hands or not. Remember that most fakes are sold with an identical appearance, similar to the iOS operating system, in which most of the tabs are the same as in the original one. Follow all the steps carefully and you can protect yourself from unwanted purchases.

The incredible invasion of clones and fakes has led to multiple questions, how to check iPhone authenticity. The most expensive and one of the most popular brands is Apple, so the likelihood of purchasing a fake is much higher. There are rough copies that differ in literally all respects, it is not difficult to notice them, but there are also a number of high-quality imitations. They require a special approach to determine whether the smartphone in front of us is original or not.

Appearance

Before proceeding with systemic testing methods, it is worth studying the external qualities of the device. It is likely that even with this simple method it will be possible to establish that the smartphone is a fake.

First of all, you should pay attention to the logo; in the original Apple product, the apple is bitten only on the right side; if there are any additional elements or the bite site is on the left, it is a fake. Also, the name may indicate an imitation, take a close look at all the letters, in the original the name is iPhone, that is, if a letter is missing or added, it is already a fake.

Don't believe that you've come across an iPhone model with some additional features that the original doesn't have. Built-in television, stylus, additional antennas or the like are a sign of a fake. You can’t fall for the tricks of sellers; there’s nothing like it in Apple’s product range.

The iPhone is a fairly conservative line, some elements in it certainly change, but there should not be any additional SIM slots or microSD slots. At the same time, the memory capacity is quite standard - 32, 64, 128 and 256 GB, the presence of 40 or 70 GB clearly indicates a Chinese fake, and an unimportant one at that. It is worth considering that the working memory capacity is always less than that specified at the time of purchase, since 5-10 GB is occupied by the operating system.

iPhones up to version 5S were released only in standard white and black colors, if you come across red, blue, gold, etc. colors, you know for sure that it is a fake.

Original devices have a non-separable case, so if you come across models where you can access the battery without disassembling the back panel, the product is not original.

Software

The next method on how to check the authenticity of an iPhone 7, including other models, is the operating system. No matter how hard the Chinese try, they cannot install iOS on the device, and this is an important indicator of the iPhone. If, after activating your smartphone, you can go to Google Play and download applications from there, then you have Android, regardless of the data in the device information. In the original, the AppStore should be used to download something; if such an option is present, then everything is in order.

In fact, there are not only deceptions with the help of fakes, but under the guise of new ones they can sell converted, stolen devices.

Check the authenticity of the iPhone on the website

Before buying a smartphone, it is worth checking the authenticity of the iPhone by number, especially important when purchasing the device from someone else. It happens that certain manipulations are performed with a smartphone so that it is impossible to track the history of the device. This is often done using illegal methods of obtaining a device.

To verify the originality of the device, you need to obtain a serial number. There are 3 locations:

• On the back of the smartphone;
• In the box with the device;
• In the operating system.

The serial number is embedded in the smartphone’s firmware and cannot be changed; the developers have taken care of this. To verify authenticity, you just need to check the information on the site:

1. Go to the website https://checkcoverage.apple.com/ru/ru/;

1. Enter the serial number of the smartphone;
2. After this, information about the device, its model, name, device characteristics, operating system version, memory size, etc. will be displayed.

Thanks to this information, you can determine the real date of purchase of the device, whether it was brought into the country legally, the warranty period, etc. This way there will be no doubt about the authenticity.

Check iPhone for authenticity using serial number

There is a more primitive, but sometimes effective way to check the authenticity of an iPhone 6s or 7. If the device has been rebuilt or redesigned and then sold as new, there are almost always several key differences.

The serial number on the cover, box and in the system does not match. If at least one of the places has a different number, you have an unclean device that has been altered or repaired. In this case, a check through the website may show normal parameters, but due to the differences, it becomes clear that the spare parts were removed from another device. If you punch another number, the activation date will be much earlier. Refurbished iPhones cannot be sold as new because they have certain defects.

On the reverse side, any flaws on the mounts will be noticeable, which indicates that the smartphone has been disassembled. Sometimes they put seals there, but the factory doesn’t install them, so the iPhone was under repair.

The likelihood of purchasing a refurbished device greatly increases if these are 3rd and 4th generation models, since the gadgets have long been discontinued.

How to check iPhone authenticity using IMEI

An alternative verification method using the site https://www.imei.info/.

Thanks to the code engraved on the back or printed on the barcode, you can check many characteristics of the device if you enter the identifier on the website.

At the purchasing stage, you must make sure that you have an original device. If the seller claims that the smartphone is new, it is all the more necessary to identify the gadget by serial number. Even the visual appearance and operating system are enough to determine if this is a Chinese counterfeit, but it is better to use all methods.

If you still have questions on the topic “Ways to check the authenticity of an iPhone,” you can ask them in the comments

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The cost of Apple gadgets does not always allow you to purchase a device in a store from an official dealer. Therefore, it is often practiced to purchase an iPhone second-hand at a more reasonable price. Against this background, in addition to real sellers, many scammers have appeared who sell stolen or even counterfeit devices. Let's figure it outhow to check iPhone for authenticityb before completing the purchase and avoid becoming a victim of a scammer.

Check on the official Apple website

As a rule, when buying a smartphone in a store, the risk of purchasing a fake is zero. But purchasing a gadget second-hand is a risky undertaking, no matter how you look at it. Therefore, before completing the purchase and transferring money to a private seller, you should carefully check the smartphone. A respectable seller will not resist and will allow the buyer to verify the quality and authenticity of the device.

Check by serial number

The device serial number is indicated on the packaging and in the device settings. The first thing you need to understand is that it must be sold complete with the original box. This condition is mandatory since the future owner will need the packaging in case of contacting technical support.

So, turn on the device, go to the settings menu, open the “General” section and open the “About this device” tab. In this section, find the serial number and check it with the information on the box. If the data does not match, then you should refuse the purchase.

If the numbers match, you should check it on the manufacturer’s official website http://www.apple.com/ru/ . In the upper right corner of the page, find the “Support” section and go to it. Find the "Warranty and Repair" tab and click on the "Check Warranty Status" link. In the form that appears, enter the serial number of the gadget and the captcha. Click “Continue” and if the serial number matches the original device, the user will see information about the owner’s rights to service and support. Opposite the item “Valid date of purchase” there should be a checkmark in a green circle, this confirms the originality of the smartphone.

If the site reports that the number is incorrect, double-check that you dialed it correctly. If the combination of symbols is correct, but the resource does not recognize the device, this is a fake.

Check by IMEI

Few people know by IMEI. Moreover, not everyone knows where to find the right number. There are several options for this case.

This code is a combination of 15 digits. Mention that the number must match everywhere. If, for example, the SIM tray has different data, this does not necessarily indicate that you have a fake in your hands. Most likely, the gadget was simply being repaired.

You can check the authenticity on the website http://www.imei.info/ . To do this, you need to enter the combination into a special form and click on check. After this, the page will open data about the gadget to which this number belongs. Therefore, if a smartphone is found in the database, then this means that this is the original.

CNDeepInfo is another service that allows you to check your iPhone by IMEI. In addition, it gives an understanding of the quality of the gadget’s hardware. Enter the number in the field and click "Check". As a result, the system will issue a certificate confirming that the gadget is original and is not on the list of stolen ones. In addition, the user will receive a transcript of the number itself. There is also a block of additional information, but it is available for a fee. In case of theft, the owner can add his device to the list of stolen devices on this resource and make it much more difficult for scammers to sell it.

upon visual inspection

It is best to buy an iPhone in its entirety: in the box and all the accompanying accessories. But sellers cannot always provide a complete set, and often selling at a low price is a consequence of the lack of packaging and components. In such circumstances, it is worth carefully examining the appearance of the device. In addition, we will tell you a few tricks on how to be sure to distinguish a Chinese counterfeit (the latter, by the way, do not always have obvious differences) from the original.

1. Supports multiple SIM cards. The original iPhone only works with one chip, which is removed from the smartphone using a special needle.
2. A removable battery is a sure sign that this is a fake. The battery and iPhone are a single design.
3. The presence of a retractable antenna. For unknown reasons, Chinese craftsmen supply all fakes with this device. The original gadget does not have any antennas.
4. Screen quality. The original device has a display created using a special technology with very dense pixels, which ensures high clarity and image quality. If the image graininess is noticeable on the display, then you should refuse the deal.
5. Solve the issue how to check iPhone authenticitya logo will help. Chinese counterfeiters apply the “Apple” with paint or even use a sticker. If this is noticed, then you are guaranteed to be dealing with a scammer.
6. A stylus included with a smartphone is a sure sign that you are being fooled. Not only Apple, but also other manufacturers have not used resistive displays in production for a long time.
7. A heavy sensor will also be a sign of a fake. The original smartphone has a very sensitive sensor, any difficulties with use are excluded. As a test, you can grab the shortcut of one of the applications and drag it across the screen; the icon should move freely around the entire perimeter and not break off the grip.
8. The presence of touch buttons is permissible only for crafts. A real iPhone only has one Home button, and it's physical.
9. Open the device settings and in the general section, find the “Software update” item. If you fail, feel free to give up your smartphone.
10. The voice assistant is a distinctive feature of the original, which has not yet been counterfeited. Press the "Home" button and hold for a few seconds. If there is no response from the system and Siri is not activated, then, alas, they are selling you a copy.
11. Fake devices most often have the Android platform or even home-written software. Try opening the device Market. In the first case, you will be redirected to Google Play, in the second, nothing will open.