If you use a high-end phone, but didn’t buy it from the brand or an authorised reseller, and the phone was ‘Made in Vietnam,’ then that beauty in your hand might be a dud.
A fake.
I paid for one last week.
A brand new Samsung S24 Ultra.
Bee’s knees, that phone. Sleek and features-laden.
But it turned out to be a knock-off.
A fugazi.
How did I know?
Well, I geek out on gadgets. I’m that guy who reads a 379-page manual. I pixel peep and read about chips and processors. Even for blenders. It’s a curse, I know. But I didn’t create me.
But don’t figure me for an Android guy. Though the Samsung S series has amazing tech and features, I am still an iSheep. I have been lapping up the grass from the stables of farmer Jobs and farmer Cook since 2006. I own six Apple devices. My wife is an iWife and my girls, iKids. If I had a doggo that could use a laptop, it would be a MacBingo. I’m sold on the Apple ecosystem.
But back to the S24 Ultra.
Because the S24 Ultra is almost two years old, Samsung outlets and authorised resellers no longer have it in inventory. Why would they? The current flagship is the S25 Ultra, and the S26 Ultra launches in January.
So I had to turn to Computer Village, Ikeja, for the S24 Ultra. And lovely jubbly, there was no shortage of vendors who had it in stock.
Many people do not trust the Computer Village, dread it even. Dubious vendors have swindled customers with no consequence. But I don’t share the distrust. There are both dubious and trustworthy vendors in any business ecosystem. Sharks and dolphins in the same tank. I have bought expensive devices at Computer Village that check out. But I am also cautious. There is no smoke without fire. Computer Village’s fishy reputation is not without cause.
So, I ordered the S24 Ultra from a vendor at the Computer Village. It was delivered.
The first red flag: the pack was labelled ‘Made in Vietnam.’
Now, Vietnam’s grilled pork and noodles are an epicurean delight. And the country is beautiful. But it is also a huge hub for counterfeiting.
Name it: counterfeit luxury goods, electronics, software and consumer goods. Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Nike, Rolex, Samsung phones, Ray Ban glasses; the lot of them.
And the counterfeiting is so good. So good that they could make a copy of you and your mom would believe it’s you.
Vietnam’s knock-off market is of significant concern to the West. In June, President Trump threatened to impose a 46% tariff on the country due to its counterfeiting. Hanoi scrambled into action, clamping down on counterfeit stores. But where there is demand, there is a market.
So, you could understand my suspicion when I saw ‘Made in Vietnam’ on the pack.
I proceeded to unbox the phone.
I removed the ‘do-not-accept-if-seal-is-broken’ sticker. Ostensibly, the sticker was not broken.
Out of the box, the phone looked like the S24 Ultra. It felt solid and premium.
But when I powered it on and began the setup, the shenanigans spilt out.
One, an original S24 Ultra has a 120Hz refresh rate. Meaning the display and navigation should be buttery-smooth. But this unit felt like Madea doing ballet. The user experience was laboured.
Second, the OS didn’t update. Understandably, the phone was still running One UI 6 and Android 14. That was easily rectified by updating it to One UI 8 and Android 16. But the phone won’t even update to One UI 7, let alone One UI 8. That was dodgy.
Third, the phone lacked notable features. Like ‘circle to search,’ ‘ambient wallpaper’ and ‘Galaxy AI.’ Its Galaxy AI was, well, Galaxy CHAI.
Chai, I have entered once chance.
Lastly, I dialled *#06# to call up the identification details.
The serial number and EID number that came up on the screen did not match the ones on the box.
The phone was a dud.
Thereafter, I noticed the typos in the fine print at the back of the pack. ‘Product’ was spelt ‘produet’ and ‘separately’ spelt ‘separaieiy.’
I spat sulphur and brimstone on the vendor.I got a replacement the next day.
The packaging also had ‘Made in Vietnam.’
I did the checks.
The serial number and EID didn’t match.
Another dud.
I didn’t bother setting it up. I asked for a refund.
The vendor started edging. He said the refund would take at least 24 hours to process.
Did you wait 24 hours to get paid?
I spewed some terrestrial and celestial vituperation.
He did the refund in 40 minutes.
Why do people fear Ayelala more than they fear Jesus?
OK, just kidding. I didn’t threaten him with Ayelala.
I only told him to lawyer up.
Apparently, lawyers are just as horrible as Ayelala.
I then tried a second vendor. I’d known her for a long time and bought authentic devices from her. She runs the shop alongside her husband.
I narrated my ordeal to her. She was sympathetic. She offered me her own brand-new S24 Ultra. She told me I could open it and verify the details before paying.
That was reassuring.
But it was another ‘Made in Vietnam’ phone.
Well, third time is a charm, isn’t it?
I removed the ‘do-not-accept-if-seal-is-broken’ sticker.
I did the checks.
This copy was worse.
It was chinked at the base. The casing was matte and not titanium. And the pack didn’t have a serial number.
I returned it. She didn’t argue.
OK, that’s it for us, Samsung. This union is not meant to be.
But I am scandalised at how unchecked Nigerian counterfeit phone vendors have become. These knock-off phones are not like a N15,500 ‘Balenciaga’ t-shirt. They are sold upwards of N1.1m. This isn’t trifling money.
There is a bloke on Instagram who brazenly advertises a cloned iPhone 17 Pro Max.
By some witchery, the discontinued iPhone XR is modified and turned into an ‘iPhone 17 Pro Max.’ On the outside, the thingamabob looks just like the iPhone 17 Pro Max. But its innards belong to the iPhone XR. He sells the contrivance for N450K.
How are these folks allowed to operate in the open? Infringing on intellectual properties and defrauding consumers? What are you doing, the Federal Competition & Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC)? You have an office right inside Ikeja GRA, air’s breath from Computer Village! Show some teeth!
And to anyone about to shell out good money on a phone, do your checks. Below are simple checks you can perform before and after buying the phone.
Before Buying
- Check that the box has a serial number and IMEI numbers. If the phone supports an e-SIM, the box will have an EID number. If the box does not have a serial number or IMEI number, it is a red flag.
- Scrutinise the box for any typos. Cloned phones often have typos on the box. Samsung and Apple are not going to sell $1200-phones with bad English on the tin.
- Learn as much as you can about the features of the phone you want to buy. Watch the launch keynote if available. Watch YouTube reviews. This is important when you unbox the phone and set it up. You have a basis for evaluation.
After Buying
- Set up the phone at the vendor’s store! That way, you can address discrepancies sharpish.
- Dial *#06# on the phone to call up its serial and IMEI numbers. Check to ensure they match those on the box. If they don’t, the phone is either stolen or a clone.
As for me, the Google Pixel 10 Pro is fluttering its eyelids at me and I am seduced. Maybe I have been looking for love in the wrong place.
I still like Samsung. But I don’t want Samsing under the hood.
Now I am sure that phone I got for wifey was definitely not a 14 pro max 1TB.
Chances are that if you bought the 14 Pro Max brand new, from 2024 upwards, it is a dud. Not sure Apple have those in inventory any more. So a new purchase is probably a refurbished phone.