There is a new industry involving counterfeit products. Some of these are fabricated to closely imitate original items especially electronics. Phone industries are especially hard hit. It takes more than a casual look to differentiate a fake item from the original. The tragedy arises when the seller gives you two options, one being original and the other counterfeit only for the purported original item to malfunction and turn out to be fake.
As sad as it is, it is very true. From where I come from, people have been shown original phones, but when they pay for them, as the exchange is taking place, they are given counterfeit ones. In the worst case, you can find that you've been sold a phone casing full of mud in the inside. Not only phones, but also the food industry. Nowadays there is a plastic rice, that looks exactly as the original. In fact, it is at times more expensive than the original. This is same for sugar, and I have heard of plastic eggs too. What personally I would suggest, is that we buy goods from trusted outlets. The government, through the Bureau of Standards should ensure that all manufactured products pass a quality test.
The best way to avoid this happening is to buy your products (especially items like cell-phones and other electronics) directly from a retail store. This way, you will be given a product purchase slip that gives a warranty/guarantee up to 24 months. Buying second hand electronics is very risky. You usually end up buying faulty products which needs to be fixed thus costing extra money.
The price of phones is definitely a sign that it's fake if it's significantly lower than the original unit price, so to be safe, just always buy from the genuine retail stores in the malls.
I agree, and your reasoning should be used in every product area as most of time you'll either buy a fake product or a damaged one.
That is also true here. From time to time, the department of trade and industry comes out with an advisory on the matter. Just recently, there is a warning against uncertified Christmas lights that are blamed for causing accidental fires. The department said that buyers should always look for the seal of certification so what they are buying are safe Christmas lights. Prior to that warning, the public was warned of fake electronic drones that are supposedly made in the US but were actually made in China.
The fact that a seller is offering both genuine and imitation product makes the transaction and the store dubious. I've never faced such situation when buying cellphones and other electronic gadgets because I've always transacted with authorized dealers or sellers who can provide a valid warranty for the product. I only buy from stores that have been in the business for a considerable time and have good reputation. I may pay a little extra for buying from these mall stores but peace of mind is priceless so I really don't mind the price difference.
To avoid this from happening one must buy electronics from the original retail stores. Sometimes when outside vendors sell products for a cheaper price it can mean that those products are counterfeit ítems. To make sure one must always shop at well known stores and avoid buying electronics from randon vendors and even flee markets.
