Piracy is not a crime exclusive to fashion items such as shoes and handbags. Counterfeits are also present in the smartphone industry. If you don’t believe us, just look at one of the most popular brands of the moment, Xiaomi, which has become one of the companies that suffers most from counterfeiting.
In fact, it is something that has been confirmed by its own CEO. According to Lei Jun, between 30 and 40% of Xiaomi devices circulating in the world don’t come from the brand’s factory. They are clones created by Chinese phone pirates, who perfectly copy the design of the devices. They only differ in their performance.
Therefore, when buying a device you should be very careful. Remember: if the offer seems too good to be true, it may be cheating. Of course, often the price is not a tell-tale sign either, as there are counterfeits that can be sold for a very similar price to the original products. This is why it is also important to buy from reliable stores.
How to know if your Xiaomi is original or fake?
Xiaomi’s popularity is undeniable. In recent years, the brand has expanded globally and as a result, it has flooded the market with its smartphones. In 2020 it tripled its presence in Latin America and in Spain it already has multiple stores. It is precisely this success that attracts counterfeiters, who have also managed to put their fake devices on the market.
Internet purchases are the most dangerous. And while the Internet is the perfect tool for buying products, because of the convenience it brings, not being able to see and test the phone before you buy it can be worrying for clones. You may have gotten a good deal, but will it be original? What if I buy it and they send me a fake?
The more experienced, perhaps, would be able to tell if a smartphone is a fake just by taking it out of the box. But most people will need other methods to confirm the information. That’s why Xiaomi has a few tools for users to verify whether the phones they have purchased are genuine or if they are unfortunately a fake.
One of the verification methods offered by the brand is through the IMEI, which is a unique 15-digit number that each device is assigned. Before telling you how you can know if your Xiaomi is original, you should know how to know the IMEI of your device.
How to find the IMEI of your Xiaomi?
As we told you, this code is unique, so no two devices have the same IMEI. To check if your Xiaomi is original you must know this number. To do this you have several options; one of them is to check the box of the device, because there you will find a label with the IMEI.
In case you have thrown away the box or it is simply not in your hands, don’t worry. You can check the IMEI from the phone itself, in the Phone > Status section. You can also find out this number by dialing the key combination *#06# on the device. Once this is done, the IMEI will appear on the phone’s screen.
Check if your Xiaomi smartphone is original
Now that you have the IMEI in hand, you can check if the Xiaomi device you bought is original. To do this you just have to log in to the Xiaomi product authentication page. Once on the profile, you will need to enter the IMEI, then type in the verification code and wait for the results.
If everything is correct, the website will confirm it by indicating the model of the device and displaying a message stating that the smartphone is official. However, if the IMEI entered does not correspond to a Xiaomi phone, it means that it is a fake. In this case it is best to contact the seller.
Alternative methods to find out if your Xiaomi is real
There are other methods that allow you to check the authenticity of your Xiaomi. In these cases you don’t need to use the IMEI.
- Use the “Mi Verification” app
In an attempt to curb the problem of counterfeits, Xiaomi launched an app that allows you to verify the originality of the devices. After installing it, you just have to open it and you will see a QR scanner that you will have to scan with another smartphone. Wait for the result and you’re done.
- Run a performance test
Another way to verify if your Xiaomi phone is original or fake is by doing a performance test, since these brand’s devices usually have a high score in these tests. AnTuTu is one of the best known. To do this you just need to download it on your device and run the test. Afterwards, the application itself will show a comparison of the results with different smartphones. If the score obtained is well below the average, the device may be a fake.
- Check the accessories in the box
If the box of the device you bought comes many accesories, it could be an indication that it is a fake Xiaomi. You should know that smartphones of this brand don’t include headphones, for example. Another aspecto to check is that it includes the user guide with that the Xiaomi logo on it appears (although this can still be present in a fake device) . However, if it doesn’t inlcude it, it’s very likely that it’s not original.
These methods will help you identify if your Xiaomi smartphone is original or if on the contrary you have been tricked with a counterfeit. If this is your case, it is best to contact the seller, explain the situation to reach an agreement for the return of your money. And remember, if you are going to buy a device of this brand (and any other) do it in a reliable store and apply the necessary verification methods to avoid being scammed.