Ways to Detect if an LED/LCD/OLED/Qled Television is Original or Fake

Fake products are copies of the original versions. Without an original version of a product, you can’t get the fake. Those who sell fakes do so to make quick money from the original sellers. The catch is that fake or clone items are generally cheaper(or believed to be cheaper) than the original versions. Your guess is as good as mine; I will teach you simple and easy ways to identify fake televisions. The good news about my tips is that it has a universal application. In addition to this, you can perform these checks at the point of sale before payment.

Read Also: Picture Quality Comparison between a Plasma, LCD, LED, OLED and Qled Televisions

Introduction

Most of the time, people buying fakes are unaware of it. Let me tell a quick story. One day you visited your friend(let’s say your rich friend) and met him to watch a program on his LG TV. Immediately, you start to praise him as one with the cash to buy the latest model of a product. You cursed your fortune for being poor. Afterward, you ask him the year of manufacture of his Tv. To your surprise, he mentioned the same year and model as the one you have at home.

You opened your mouth in disbelief and told him you had the same TV at home with poor quality overall. You examine your friend’s TV and realized his own TV was manufactured in Belgium while yours was made in China. Also, you paid a cheaper price to get yours. No to the analysis, what happened above is that the poorer friend used his hard-earned money to buy a fake TV. I am here with you today to ensure the same fate doesn’t befall you. I mean, you will have the power to pre-identify fake televisions.

 

 

Those who produce fake products have fraudulent intentions of producing such products. Fake products cut across all consumer goods. China is tagged as the brain behind manufacturing most fake products(please do not blame the Chinese; you get what you paid for). We should also remember that Apple iPhone and iPad are made in China but assembled in the USA(California to be precise). Therefore, China is not the problem. The problem is the dealers who go to China to ask for sub-standard or fake products from them.

Warning!!

If you are shopping for a television online, please try and patronise the original device manufacturers or their authorised distributors. Alternatively, buy from reputable online stores such as Amazon and eBay. At least, if you follow this rules, you can never lose both your money and the product. If you receive a fake, substandard or defective product, these sites will standard by you are solve any problems you might be having concerning the TV. Amazon and eBay will issue a refund after return. Besides, it is very difficult to get any fake product from Amazon.

 

It does not matter what specifications the television is having; as long as it is a flat-screen branded tv, it is susceptible to fake copies. In this article, Africans(especially Nigerian will be able to learn how to avoid falling victim to counterfeiters. This shall be strictly about how to avoid buying a fake tv, however, the tips provided here can be applied to every electronic device.

 

Especially relevant:

• what you need to do before buying a used phone 
• ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT DISPLAY RESOLUTION LIKE VGA, SD HD FHD, UHD & 4K
• How you can shop on Amazon for cheap outside the USA

Correlation between a Fake, a Cloned, and a Defective TV?

 

 

 

Unsurprisingly, there is this misconception mostly about fake and cloned products. Shockingly, some people call defective products and refurbished products fake. These assumptions are not true. There is a striking distinction between a fake, a refurbished, and a defective product. This has been clarified below;

• What is a fake TV?: A fake or counterfeit television is a clone(knockoff) copy marketed as the original. A counterfeit is guilty of dishonesty, misrepresentation, and illegality.  It is more difficult to detect a counterfeit phone if you are not used to the original.
• What is a clone/knockoff TV? Conversely, a clone/knockoff is an exact or almost exact replica of the original television. Although with different branding. Furthermore, a clone or a knockoff TV is a copy of the design or function of an original device. In addition, a clone is sold as a clone copy and fully disclosed as “not the original”.  An example of a clone/knockoff television has a different name, logo, or design from the one you are used to. Unfortunately, the difference is not always very clear, but it is there.
• What is a refurbished/ certified refurbished TV?:  a refurbished TV is a used TV that has been repaired and confirmed to be usable before selling. A refurbished TV typically refers to a model returned to the manufacturer, tested for problems, and restored to a full-functioning, factory-standard condition.
• Meaning of a defective/faulty TV: A defective TV has an imperfection or a manufacturing or design defect. A  faulty tv is different from a fake or cloned TV. It is the original TV that is malfunctioning, and it can even pose a danger to the user.

How to Identify Fake Televisions

Almost 60% of the electronics in Nigeria and other developing countries are fakes or clones.  These gadgets are mostly manufactured in China and smuggled into the country, resulting in billions of dollars of loss to the government of the respective countries. Yes, the government loses the tax accrued to them when you smuggle in items. I wonder why the Government is always slow to act against these people.

But again, this is not the total fault of the seller or the government. First off, buyers must first investigate the product before buying it. So, today, we will try to find ways to detect whether a TV e.g. Sony, Samsung, Vizio, Hisense, Panasonic, or LG, is original or not. A stitch in time saves nine; pre-identifying fake televisions is better than paying the high repair cost. In most cases, such TVs are unrepairable.

List of Questions the buyer should be aware of

Before successfully pre-identifying fake TVs, you must be equipped with vital information.

1. What do you need to do before the purchase and
2.  What you need to do at the point of purchase

To Identify fake televisions, You need to do the followings Before Going to the Stores.

If you prefer buying your stuff in the shops, please do the following before you go for your purchase.

1. Search for the hands-on video of that TV on youtube.com and watch it in case you do not know anyone using it.
2. Search for the official website of the manufacturers and see if they have provisions for detecting a fake copy of their product. Most manufacturers have this.
3. Be familiar with the accessories before going to purchase them.

This might also interest you: Are Curved-Screen TVs Really an IQ Tax? If Not, Why Have Sony, LG, and Samsung Given Up

How to Pre-identify Fake Televisions at the Point of Sale in the Stores

I am still reiterating my earlier statement. These tips will help you detect a fake TV by any manufacturer. You need to have adequate information before you can detect a fake TV at your local store.

Now let’s assume you are ready to purchase at the stores. How should you behave there? What should you have in your arsenal? Please flow with me as I provide some valuable tips:

• Firstly, buy your tv from an authorized dealer: This person must be listed on the manufacturer’s official website
• Aside from this, you can buy your tv from the official showrooms if available in your locality.

• Do not prove to be too smart or too forward.

Don’t act too smart just because you have knowledge of what you want to buy.  On the contrary, be cool, calm, and collected. Mind you, the seller might be having both the original and the fake, and when you behave calmly, his conscience may hunt him to give you the original. As a result, you would have saved yourself unnecessary stress. In my case, I will first ask the seller, “Please bring out only the original for me”

• If you are lucky to find an existing owner of that model of tv, go with one

You can’t over-emphasize how valuable this can be. If I were you, I will always do this and give such a person a tip for his troubles. Please pay him if he is not a very close ally. An owner of the tv will know its features better than you.

• When the price is too cheap, please be suspicious.

Another way to pre-identify fake televisions is with the price.  If you have researched, you will know when a tv price is ridiculously cheaper than expected. For example, if Amazon sells at  $850 and your local store tells you to pay 500usd, then you should know that all is not well(except there is a promo on that TV)

• When there are too many features, be alert.

Another tell-tale sign of fake or knockoff products is that they offer too many features at a very low price. It’s nearly impossible for big companies to provide so many features for less price. So, whenever you see a TV with so many extra features, it must be a china copy.

• Know the customer care hotline of the manufacturer

Also, you can call customer care before you pay and give them the serial number to confirm if it is genuine. Especially relevant, the packaging box must carry the OEM’s toll-free contact number, service center address, and brand logo. Samsung’s Toll-free number is 0800-72678.

• Check the serial number online.

• There must be a warranty card with loads of details on how to claim your warranty.

A warranty card with Hologram and serial number printed on the LED TV pack ensures that you are also buying the original product legally. This also means that the seller has imported this TV by paying customs duty, which improves your country’s economy.

• Most colorful and flashy boxes are indicative of a fake TV

That is not to say all TVs with color box packaging are fake. However, this is the biggest sign of fake products because all genuine products come in carton boxes with exact product information and serial number.

• Compare the serial number on the box with the one written on the TV.

 

• Make sure you look out for the consumer manual & other Docs.

Fake televisions will not have a manual, and the few will have one that is not comprehensive.

• Finally, Try and register the product via its serial number on the official website. Once it is accepted, it is not a fake. If otherwise, then you know what that means.

Where and how to buy an Original TV?

Now that you can pre-identify fake televisions, The next question is, where can I buy an original TV? Or maybe, how can I buy an original TV? The brand doesn’t matter here. Although we have three leading manufacturers of televisions. I am talking about no other than the 3 giants of LG, Samsung, and Sony. I will give you tips on where and how to purchase an original TV, irrespective of the brand name.

• Firstly, avoid buying any TV(or electronic devices) without any warranty.
• Purchase directly from the manufacturers or their Authorised distributors.
• If shopping for a new TV online, buy on Amazon and try as much as possible to buy from Amazon or a prime seller. However, if you would buy from a 3rd party seller on Amazon, buy from a seller with high integrity and a good rating.
• If you are not buoyant financially, just like me, and want a used/pre-owned TV, you must be very careful here. If you buy locally from stores, buy from a seller with high integrity and support.
• Also, make sure you locate someone who is currently using the exact type of tv you want to buy and familiarise yourself with its features
• . Finally, get your warranty from the seller and let it be at least 30 days.
• Similarly, if you want to shop for a used/pre-owned TV online, only buy a certified refurbished TV from either Amazon, eBay, or the manufacturers. Every certified refurbished electronic on Amazon has at least 60 days no-questions refund warranty.
• If you are a fan of online stores outside the USA or the Uk, patronize a credible seller. Nigeria has too many fake TVs on jumia.com.ng, Konga, and the like. That is not to say that you won’t get an original if you search carefully.
• To wrap it up, don’t let your emotions overwhelm you; ensure you get a receipt or an invoice for your TV.

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Conclusion

The above tips cannot be tagged as foolproof. However, if followed judiciously, you can avoid falling victim to fake TVs by 97%. It is also worth of note that if you are dealing with the authorized dealer of the television, you do not need to worry about some of the tips above. Just get your receipt and keep your warranty card very carefully.

No authorized seller will sell a tv without issuing you a warranty card. In Nigeria, the TV brands with the most counterfeits in the market are LG and Samsung. We have faker of LG TVs than Samsung. I advise you to go to LG or Samsung showroom for your purchase if you reside in Nigeria. Fortunately, you can now easily order any TV from Amazon in Nigeria.