Original Xiaomi or fake? 10 ways to recognize fake before buying

Introduction: Why Xiaomi fakes are so common

Xiaomi has been leading the smartphone market for many years thanks to a combination of high technology and affordable prices. However, the popularity of the brand has the opposite side: scammers actively fake devices, giving cheap copies for the original Redmi, POCO or Mi. According to analysts, up to 15% of Xiaomi smartphones sold in the secondary market are fakes – and this is only official statistics.

Fraudsters range from crude copies with low-quality screens to near-perfect replicas that look like they didn't. Fraudsters pay attention to the little things of copying branded packaging, stickers, and even MIUI. But there are key clues to how to calculate cheating before you buy it or in the first minutes after you unpack it. In this article, 10 working methods, including hidden codes, iron checks, and firmware analysis, that will help you avoid disappointment.

The problem is especially acute for customers on Avito, Yule, or in small online stores, where the price is 20-30% lower than the market, if the seller refuses to provide a serial number before payment or walks away from direct questions about the origin of the phone, this is the first bell.

1.Packaging check: 7 details counterfeiters miss

Xiaomi's original box is not just cardboard packaging, but a sophisticated branding element with many security features. Counterfeiting often copies the design but misses key details.

• 📦 Print quality: The original box has clear text and logos, no blurring or shifting of paint, and fakes often have pale colors or uneven lines.
• 🔍 Serial number: at the bottom of the box should be unique S/N (for example, M2004J19C-20210315), It's the same number on the phone sticker and in the settings, and it's either missing or duplicated on fakes.
• 🏷️ Holographic sticker: the originals it changes color when tilted (rainbow effect), and on copies - static or not at all.
• 📏 Size and weight: Redmi Note box 12 flat-weight 420 d. and its dimensions — 164×83×35 mm. Deviations in ±5 d 2–3 mm, fake sign.

Notice the typeface on the box: Xiaomi uses the branded MiSans, where the letter "i" without a dot, and "a" with an open top.

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If the seller sent a photo of the package, ask for a picture from the side - on the original Xiaomi boxes, the side seams are glued neatly, without protruding glue or uneven slices.

Another nuance is the configuration. The original Xiaomi always comes with a proprietary cable (it has the Mi logo engraved on it), documentation in Chinese and English, and a paper clip for the tray. SIM-Fakes often contain cheap cable without markings or instructions on poor translation.

2.Serial Number and IMEI: How to authenticate online

Each Xiaomi smartphone has unique identifiers: IMEI (for network communication) and serial number (for warranty), which can be checked through the company's official services to verify authenticity.

1. Find IMEI: dial *#06# on your phone and a 15-digit code (e.g., 861234567890123) will appear on the screen, and you can see it on the sticker under the battery or in the settings (About Phone → General Information).
2. Check on Xiaomi's website: go to the verification page, enter IMEI and CAPTCHA. The system will show the model, production date and warranty status.
3. Compare it to a box: the IMEIs on the phone, the box, and the settings must match. The discrepancies are 100% a sign of a fake.

If Xiaomi is making an error, “Invalid” IMEI" If the information doesn't match the model, it's fake. IMEI via IMEI.info, it will show the real model of the device on the database.

Find IMEI via *#06#| Check with the sticker on the box | Check on the official website of Xiaomi| Make sure the model and production date match-->

Warning: Fraudsters sometimes clone IMEIs from original devices, and if the test was successful but the price is too low, ask for additional evidence (e.g., a photo of a check from an official store).

3.External inspection: 5 signs of forgery, which can be seen with the naked eye

Even if the packaging and documents look perfect, the phone itself can give off a fake.

• 🔦 Build quality: the original Xiaomi has no backlashes, gaps between the body and screen or creaks when pressed.Fakes are often collected crooked, with uneven joints.
• 🎨 Logo: On the back of the originals, the Mi or Redmi logo is clear, glossy, and can be matte, blurred, or displaced on fakes.
• 🔊 Speakers and microphones: originals have symmetrical speaker holes (e.g. Redmi Note 11 has 7 left and 7 right holes.
• 📱 Screen: on the original AMOLED-displays (e.g. Xiaomi 13) are not grainy at maximum brightness. Fake matrix cheaper, so you can see pixels or yellowness.
• 🔋 Charging port: the originals USB-C The port holds the cable tightly, without backlash, and on copies, the connector often wobbles or is non-standard in shape.

Note the weight of the device. For example, the Xiaomi 12T weighs 203 g, and its fake is 10-15 g lighter due to cheap materials. The exact weights of the models can be found on the official website in the section "Specifications".

A critical sign of forgery: if the phone is turned on the download screen instead of the Mi logo, the inscription “Test Keys” or “Engineering Mode” appears – this is 100% fake with unlicensed firmware.

4. Firmware and software check: hidden codes and menus

Xiaomi’s original smartphones run on the MIUI’s proprietary shell, which has unique features and hidden menus for diagnostics. Fakes often use pirated versions of Android or simplified interfaces. Here’s how to recognize them:

1. MIUI version: go to Settings → About Phone → MIUI version. The original will have the latest firmware (e.g. MIUI 14.0.5 for Redmi Note 12). Fakes often have an outdated version or even a standard Android.
2. Hidden Test Menu: Enter ##4636##. The original phone information menu will open with battery, network and software data. This fake menu may not be available or contain Chinese characters.
3. Authentication code: dial ##13491##. The original Xiaomi will have a Camera Test menu, a fake one with a bug or nothing.

Another way to check for branded apps is to see if the original devices have Mi Community, Mi Home, Mi Video and Security (with shield icons), which are either missing or have typos (such as "Mi Comminity").

If the phone requests to be updated through third-party sites (e.g. miui-downloads.com) is a sure sign of a fake. Original updates are only installed through the official menu or Mi PC Suite.

5.Iron Test: How to Check CPU, Memory and Cameras

Counterfeit products are often equipped with weak hardware, which is passed off as flagship chips Qualcomm or MediaTek. To solve the fraud, use special utilities and tests:

1. CPU-Z or AIDA64: install the app from Google Play and check: CPU model (e.g. Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Xiaomi 13). RAM and ROM (should match the stated) Screen model (e.g. AMOLED Samsung E4).

Fake chips are often weak chips like the Helio G35 instead of the Snapdragon 778G.

Camera test

Xiaomi

Xiaomi 12S Ultra

Benchmark

AnTuTu

Geekbench

POCO F5

AnTuTu

Note the heat: Xiaomi’s original smartphones warm moderately even under high loads. Counterfeiting is often overheated by cheap (or lack of) cooling.

Note: if the CPU-Z displays a model of a processor that does not exist (for example, the Snapdragon 888 Pro Max), or the amount of memory does not match the stated one, then you have a single-digit fake.

6. Check through official Xiaomi services

Xiaomi provides several tools for device verification, which can be used both before purchase (by serial number) and after:

• 🌐 Official website: on the page mi.com/global/verify enter IMEI or S/N. The system will show the model, the date of production and the status of the warranty.
• 📱 Mi Verify app: download it from Google Play and scan it QR-code from a box or phone sticker. The app will instantly identify the authenticity.
• 📧 Support: Write to Xiaomi's official chat room (via the site or Mi Community) asking to check the serial number.

If the seller refuses to provide an IMEI or S/N before payment, this is a reason to be wary, and avoid devices with an “international warranty” if they are sold below the official price – often relabeled fakes from China.

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The only reliable way to verify is through official Xiaomi services, and no amount of “expert opinions” or market feedback will replace IMEI verification.

If the phone is already purchased and turned out to be a fake, you can try to return money through the platform (for example, Avito or Ozon have customer protection programs).

7.Price and place of purchase: red flags for the buyer

One of the most obvious signs of counterfeiting is that it's too low, like if the Xiaomi 13 Pro sells for $30,000. ₽, When its official price is $70,000 ₽, Fraudsters often use psychological tricks:

• 💰 "Sale: counterfeits are often sold under the pretext of “liquidating a warehouse” or “gift from a company".
• 📦 "No box: a seller can claim that the phone is "new but no packaging"; in fact, it's a way to hide the absence of holographic stickers.
• 🌍 "Brought from abroad: counterfeits are often labeled as “European” or “global” when they are actually replicas from China.

Safe Places to Buy Original Xiaomi:

• 🏬 Official stores (Mi Store, Svyaznoy, M. Video).
• 🌐 Official website mi.com/ru Authorized resellers (Wildberries, Ozon, marked "Original Products").
• 📱 Mi Home (branded app for buying smartphones with a guarantee).

Warning: even in large stores, there are fakes! Always check the packaging and documents when you receive them. If the seller refuses to open the box in front of you, this is an excuse to refuse to buy.

8 What to do if you have already bought a fake

If after the purchase it turned out that the phone is fake, act quickly:

1. Collect evidence: Photos and videos of the device (especially packaging, IMEI, settings menu), screenshots of correspondence with the seller, check or receipt.

Go to the platform.

Avito

yula

Ozon

Write a report to the police

Warn others.

4PDA

Mi Community

If the phone is bought on credit or installments, immediately block the card and contact the bank - scammers can use your data for new frauds.

Unfortunately, it can be difficult to get back money for counterfeiting, especially if you were able to buy it by hand, so always check the device before payment - even if the seller seems reliable.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Xiaomi fakes