Scammed on Marketplace with a Fake Samsung Galaxy S23 Phone

graceyym on 26/10/2023 - 14:14
Last edited 27/10/2023 - 15:22 by 1 other user

Hey guys

Not very smart of me (so please hold the abuse) but I've been scammed via FB Marketplace. Purchased a Samsung S23 Ultra 1TB phone for $1500 in cash & after receiving the phone (guy walked off when received cash), realised that the camera app only zooms to 10x. The app also looks a lot different to what it should look like.

The phone physically looks legit, but it's clearly a fake when further inspecting. I followed up with the seller, of course he won't give a refund (saying that I could have swapped it) even though I messaged him as soon as I noticed the issue, only a couple hours after picking up.

Long story short, I know I will never get back my money so taking the big loss on this. What can I do with this phone? It looks great and works pretty well, its just the camera quality that is low from what I can see. Can I sell it somewhere for substantionally less?

Can something like this even be donated or just best to keep it as an expensive paper weight?

Here are some photos of the phone

Outside Camera
https://ibb.co/Hd3gPPm

Camera app in use (max 10x zoom)
https://ibb.co/9Nyz1MB

Camera Options
https://ibb.co/yX4Zvs4

Home screen
https://ibb.co/q1D32c2

Preinstalled Random Video
https://ibb.co/ZNQV9dY

Thanks

Mobile Mobile Phone Samsung Android

Comments

  • solidussnake on 26/10/2023 - 14:18
    +50

    Marketplace + expensive phones never ends well. I would be weary what OS has been loaded on if it's a fake wouldn't do internet banking etc

    • graceyym on 26/10/2023 - 14:20
      +3

      Yeah. I agree, I thought I was being extra cautious however it still got by me so its a very expensive learning curve & still out a phone..

      Recommend anywhere I can donate it or best to just throw it out.

  • CyberMurning on 26/10/2023 - 14:23
    +5

    hmm box should have give a sign fake / not.
    also when booting from off.
    and the overall build quality - they cant make a fake with the same material as the new

    the best is to try go into bootloader. im pretty sure the fake ones will be different, probably will come up with chinese words

  • Hydralyte on 26/10/2023 - 14:35
    +42

    Man fk that. Report the (profanity) to the police. Find out his details and confront him. Bring a few people with you.
    Why the hell didn't you inspect the phone?

    The S23 ultra has been selling for like $800 via samsung marketplace and shop app for the past few weeks. What on earth compelled you to buy it via facebook and not just go on a plan and have peace of mind.

    I followed up with the seller, ofcourse he wont give a refund (saying that I could have swapped it)

    Rubbish. Serial number before and after will be the same.

    • graceyym on 26/10/2023 - 14:46
      +3

      Couldnt find the right link to report - I have his full name & phone number, as well as the address without the unit number though.

      • bargain huntress on 26/10/2023 - 14:49
        +7

        Physically go to the police station with the phone and his details and file a formal complaint?

        • dust on 26/10/2023 - 15:17
          +42

          The police won't do anything.

          • Fysh on 27/10/2023 - 22:53
            +1

            @dust: Youre right. Go to Border force instead

          • FutureTech on 30/10/2023 - 12:40

            @dust: it is fraud, no? That's criminal

          • will05 on 30/10/2023 - 14:36

            @dust: without Bill of sale - no way

        • DarwinBoy on 27/10/2023 - 13:13
          +12

          They will.say it's a civil matter. I don't agree but that's what you will get.

          • juki on 28/10/2023 - 22:34

            @DarwinBoy: who do you go for civil matter, selling counterfeit would that be customs then?

            • donga100 on 29/10/2023 - 09:58
              +1

              @juki: You go to court.

              • juki on 29/10/2023 - 22:22

                @donga100: are there different courts in Aus ? (ie related to amount or type of infringement?) i know i can google this but a conversation is nicer

          • johnno07 on 30/10/2023 - 03:07

            @DarwinBoy: Fraud is both a civil and criminal matter.

            • dji1111111 on 30/10/2023 - 08:15
              +1

              @johnno07: Unfortunately the police (at least in QLD) won't even blink over an incident like this and call it a civil matter. Yeah, despite them pretending like they help the community, in reality they have very little interest in these things in the name of attending to more serious incidents

              • Love a bargain on 30/10/2023 - 08:41

                @dji1111111: They might be if they get multiple reports about the same person, or if it leads them to a bigger fish. Regardless, there's no harm reporting, especially when one can report online.

                • dji1111111 on 30/10/2023 - 14:50
                  +1

                  @Love a bargain: True, no harm but I'm just setting the expectation for the OP. There is a very slim chance the Police will even take a glance at it so most likely he will just waste time reporting. Friend had his car broken into on his driveway and they couldn't care less other than telling him to file insurance claim

      • [Deactivated] on 30/10/2023 - 11:16
        +1

        Good luck reporting that.

        I made a big mistake of Gumtree a long time ago, the guy had JB Hi-Fi receipts. However, he sold the phone 15 times over.

        I couldn't even get the police to take a report, police in Adelaide told me to go to Cyber crime then Cyber crime time to go to my local police station.

        I rang the bank, and they already said police had been there. So I imagine there are not such lazy police officers in this country! Either way, the chances of you're getting your money back is nil…which is why these scammers keep scamming.

    • Drakesy on 26/10/2023 - 16:52
      +1

      Agree, fcuk him up and say you'll go to the police.

    • HeWhoKnows on 27/10/2023 - 10:24
      +1

      Report what details???

      All OP has is a facebook name and nothing more.
      No address
      No phone number
      No proof that OP was actually scammed.
      The phone is not lost or stolen.
      OP paid for the phone and got the phone.
      No crime committed as far as the police are concerned.

      • Drakesy on 27/10/2023 - 12:49
        +8

        Other than the fact they've conducted fraud?

        • 6000SUX on 27/10/2023 - 13:11
          +5

          On point here. Fraud is the key word here.
          First step would be to prove that you have a fake - not that you suspect a fake.
          Maybe take it to a Samsung store? They maybe able to help with that proof

          Screenshot ad (if havent already)

          Worth a report. But dont hold your breath.

        • based on 27/10/2023 - 15:36
          +1

          Wonder if being counterfeit goods takes it up another level

        • HeWhoKnows on 28/10/2023 - 08:00
          -3

          Hard to prove that.
          Other than what I have stated….
          The seller can simply say they told or showed OP it wasnt genuine.

          See its not illegal to buy or sell a fake Samsung

          And since it was a CASH buy there is no proof how much OP actually paid either

          • Drakesy on 28/10/2023 - 08:54

            @HeWhoKnows: The ad would never of stated it was fake?
            Therefore fraudulent?

            • HopSkipJumpFallSplat on 28/10/2023 - 09:11

              @Drakesy: The Ebay S23Ultras never mention Samsung, they are Unbranded S23 Ultras but pretty sure they'd turn up in Samsung box for the buyer to then defraud someone.

              • Drakesy on 28/10/2023 - 10:40

                @HopSkipJumpFallSplat: Im confused Where does ebay come into this?

                • HopSkipJumpFallSplat on 28/10/2023 - 10:45

                  @Drakesy: It's an example, the ebay ones don't say fake, nor do they say Samsung, they are Unbranded, these are the phones people buy and flog off as Samsung S23U's.
                  The listings I've seen since this thread started, on Ebay, aren't actually breaking any laws, just facilitating others to do so.

        • GrueHunter on 28/10/2023 - 12:12
          +2

          "That's not the phone I gave them. They're trying to defraud me, officer."

          Cop who, let's face it, didn't turn up in the first place: shrug

      • cameldownunder on 30/10/2023 - 13:28
        +2

        Ask a friend ( not linked to Facebook ) to "be interested" in another Item from him. Then get him to meet him in a secluded …….

    • capslock janitor on 27/10/2023 - 13:12

      takes precious awkward time to setup

  • burningrage on 26/10/2023 - 14:37

    Has the Samsung Knox in the phone been breached? Would have it inspected if I were you

    • scrimshaw on 26/10/2023 - 14:43
      +11

      This wouldn't be a Samsung device, it's just a very convincing copy of the S23 Ultra but the internals would be very low-end, possibly worse or slower than a $300 Motorola or Nokia from JB Hi-Fi, and even preloaded with malware and junk apps to make it look like Samsung's One UI.

      They specifically make these phones to facilitate scams like these, and they come complete with a sealed cardboard box and fake serials / barcode / IMEI numbers on the packaging which can fool less savvy buyers. You can buy them online from unmoderated marketplaces like Wish.com.

      • CyberMurning on 26/10/2023 - 15:25
        +2

        correct.
        i got one before lucky bought from ebay. when i told the seller he said how do you know it is fake what the fffff
        lucky ebay sided with me and refund me. it was samsung s6 or s8
        i was very lucky because after i got the phone i checked the ebay listing and now i can see the box photo is not right. looks cheap. i shouldn bid on that item on first place.

        and yes the bootloader full of chinese words, the screen resolution is like 144dpi, etc etc

      • burningrage on 27/10/2023 - 12:28
        +1

        Holy crap. Didn't even realize such thing exist in the first place.

        Like a literal clone.

        • HopSkipJumpFallSplat on 27/10/2023 - 13:34
          +3

          Theres heaps on Ebay for around the 200 mark, no mention of samsung, just unbranded S23 Ultras, but I'm pretty sure if purchased they'd arrive in a samsung box looking all authentic.

  • Gervais fanboy on 26/10/2023 - 14:39
    +10

    Dude, report him to the police asap.

  • freefall101 on 26/10/2023 - 14:45
    +1

    Doesn't it only have 10x zoom? It has 100x digital zoom, but that's their Space Zoom thing. And what's different about the app?

    What else is wrong with it? Seems hard to fake a decent s-pen, display, build etc to the point you didn't notice when you held it in your hand. But definitely check the software to figure out what it is.

    • graceyym on 26/10/2023 - 14:50
      +1

      Quiet honestly, I'm a newbie to Samsung phones. It took me some online research after I got the phone to check if it was fake or not. Are there any tests I can run to recheck if its fake or not. Maybe its missing the correct camera app, I really don't know here..

  • m a c9 on 26/10/2023 - 14:45
    +5

    Sorry to hear man, was it sealed or open box? Seen a few fakes on FB going around, boxes look definitely fake if you know your samsung stuff.

    PS Your avatar makes the painworse

    • graceyym on 26/10/2023 - 14:48

      It was opened. I see the errors I made in purchasing, just wanted to know what to do with the phone now that I can obviously see the signs its a fake. Never had a Samsung before but checking the camera app, I can tell from that its a fake.

      Hahaha painfully funny.

      • scrimshaw on 26/10/2023 - 14:55

        You can keep it as a burner phone. Maybe try to gain root access and use it for 7/11 chopper or something similar?

        If you do sell it to someone else, make it very clear the phone is not a Samsung, unless you want to earn a negative feedback rating on eBay or get booted off FB marketplace when someone reports your listing as fraud.

        • graceyym on 26/10/2023 - 15:15

          Id rather just donate it, don't really want someone to end up with a fake phone..

          • Love a bargain on 27/10/2023 - 12:14
            +2

            @graceyym: If you donate it, it will still go to someone, just not someone who has to pay for it.

      • m a c9 on 26/10/2023 - 15:14

        just out of curiosity, what does it show when you enter its imei number on samsung or other mobile phone trade in sites? does it show as having any value at all? I'd presume the imei is all fake and meaningless…?

        • graceyym on 26/10/2023 - 15:19

          All the details are correct when I enter the IMEI so its a little confusing to be honest.. but there was one site that said it was 256GB whereas the internals on this phone show 1TB.

          • scrimshaw on 26/10/2023 - 15:23
            +8

            @graceyym: I just watched a YT video on fake S23 Ultras (by Phone Repair Guru). The IMEI number can be faked / spoofed, so simply checking the device IMEI against an online database isn't a reliable method of validating if the phone is a genuine Samsung.

          • CyberMurning on 26/10/2023 - 15:31

            @graceyym: dont be confused. some smart chinese can create a panda from a brick of wood if they want to

            • graceyym on 26/10/2023 - 15:35
              +1

              @CyberMurning: Yep I agree with you both, basically the IMEI shows a 256GB Samsung S23 Ultra when the phones internals are showing 1TB and I was sold a 1TB.. I'm still feeling like this is a fake.. Maybe they're somehow using a 256GB's IMEI number on this fake phone..

              • CyberMurning on 26/10/2023 - 15:37
                +5

                @graceyym: okay then, to be 1000% sure, please go to jbhfi or samsung store and compare side by side with the real one..
                or ask the staff to inspect.. free of charge :)
                or post the photos for us to see. there are many expert ppl in ozb (not /s)

  • lost in transit on 26/10/2023 - 14:50
    +3

    I thought about market place but discounted it 3 microseconds after the thought Will buy a refurbished through a reputable seller…

    When it comes to electronics I'll pay a bit extra for the security of an Australian business…

    Sorry to hear about your experience…

  • ihbh on 26/10/2023 - 15:05
    +3

    Sorry to hear about this. Best thing to do is to try to prevent this from happening to someone else - leave feedback for the seller; go to the police, etc.

    As an aside, what checks did you do? How much risk did you think there was in the purchase? What I mean is, you tried to save around $1k by outlaying $1.5k for a high end product. Were you concerned about warranty, etc?

    • CyberMurning on 26/10/2023 - 15:29

      the saving is huge. brand new s23u 1tb would be what, almost $3k ? he paid half

  • Tomcruise on 26/10/2023 - 15:06
    +5

    Explain to him it's not about the money, but you have stolen from me. Also make it CRYSTAL CLEAR, that it could be next week, year or decade, but he will pay the ULTIMATE price.

    Make sure to get as much info as you can and keep tabs, so you don't lose track of them.

    • [Deactivated] on 26/10/2023 - 15:42
      +1

      I read the second sentence as if the real Tom Cruise said it … in a movie or to the 60 Minutes reporter that made him angry in that interview years ago.

      • dcep on 27/10/2023 - 00:55
        +2

        Erm.. have to go with Liam's Taken lines.

        • [Deactivated] on 27/10/2023 - 10:40

          D'oh

  • [Deactivated] on 26/10/2023 - 15:17
    +4

    To assist others, can you provide a link to photos of the fake Samsung phone & the box?

  • JIMB0 on 26/10/2023 - 15:26
    +1

    The phone physically looks legit.

    Then it would still be of value to the many people who buy them as a status symbol.

    • CyberMurning on 26/10/2023 - 15:30

      cant be. please post the photos, OP

  • graceyym on 26/10/2023 - 15:26

    So I've checked the IMEI online at https://www.samsung.com/us/support/warranty/ and it says that there is limited warranty up until July 2024. Does this mean its actually a real Samsung?

    • CyberMurning on 26/10/2023 - 15:30

      wow.. could be ! https://www.ozbargain.com.au/comment/14473964/redir

    • [Deactivated] on 26/10/2023 - 15:35
      +11

      Why don't you go into a Samsung store & ask staff to confirm?

      • graceyym on 26/10/2023 - 15:37
        +4

        Thats what I'm thinking..

    • scrimshaw on 26/10/2023 - 15:37
      +3

      Now that you have the phone, you should also have noticed that…

      • the additional camera lenses are fake / cosmetic only when you launch the camera app and don't see an option to change lenses
      • the phone probably lags quite a bit when you try to play games
      • it's missing a lot of Samsung features. Can you find Samsung Bixby, Dex, Samsung Pass, Samsung Cloud, in the Settings menu?
      • you can't create or log into a Samsung account from Settings
      • The Samsung Trade-Up app doesn't recognize your phone as a Samsung?
      • graceyym on 26/10/2023 - 15:39
        +1

        Correct, when using I could already notice the lag from switching from my current phone to just opening up the Ultra..
        Camera is clearly not what it should be.
        The IMEI is a genuine one, however its for a different sized Ultra (256GB instead of 1TB)

        Its a fake, and an expensive paper weight now.

        • Wiser on 27/10/2023 - 15:01

          So a phone with duplicated IMEI
          What happens when one is linked to an eSIM?

        • keepsmiling on 28/10/2023 - 01:46

          Can you share more experience other than simply camera is not good? It could also be a defective item?

          If fake,it should miss a lot of features as mentioned above. Most importantly no Samsung knox

  • dust on 26/10/2023 - 15:39
    +4

    Unfortunately for OP, their avatar suits this post perfectly.

    • graceyym on 26/10/2023 - 15:39

      Too well..

  • MS Paint on 26/10/2023 - 15:43
    +2

    Is it a fake or user error?

    I'm edging towards user error at the moment.

    • boomramada on 26/10/2023 - 18:19

      Im with you, story doesn't add up.
      * Is there such a thing as fake S23?
      * Why you wanna buy a second hand high end phone without warranty, when you can get a new one just a bit more?
      * For that much amount of money, I would even check if phone is stolen (https://amta.org.au/check-the-status-of-your-handset/)

      • CyberMurning on 26/10/2023 - 18:51

        "ithout warranty, when you can get a new one just a bit more?"
        OP obviously doesnt know about samsung deal posted last week.
        OP tried to make a killer deal, buying $2,649 (at JBHF) for $1,500

        • graceyym on 27/10/2023 - 15:09
          -2

          Nope didnt see the deal, I'm hoping its user error but the camera app is horrible. It doesnt look like the one when you test an Ultra in store..

          I dont want to log into the phone and download any apps, but what are the best ways to check if its fake?

          So far this is what I have a the moment:

          • Camera quality isnt good, only goes up to 10x zoom and layout of app when you click it is different from instore test phones
          • IMEI after a search shows a Samsung Ultra S23 but reads 256GB not 1TB
          • When I search the IMEI on Samsungs website, it shows it has limited warranty until July 2024.

          Anything else I can do?

      • capslock janitor on 27/10/2023 - 13:25
        +1

        https://youtu.be/JUmNWRs84OA

        there probably is …

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