All OS Imported Mobiles @ 50% Price - Should I go for it?

I bought a Note 4 from Gaffar Market for 19K. It is a Sprint model. The model no mentioned in the sticker matches with the phone. So does the IMEI no. There is no IMEI on the box. But later on checking with imei.info the imei turned out to be of a S5.
They import these from China and they modify the software in a way that 4G works in India . While I bought the phone 4G was working (showing 4G in the status bar) with Airtel 4G. I was a bit surprised as I knew that it should not work. After I flashed a Custom ROM 4G doesn't work anymore (the SIM itself isn't recognized). But everything else is OK. Phone phone is mint about 4.8 out of 5 not a 5/5.
 
tech.addict said:
I bought a Note 4 from Gaffar Market for 19K. It is a Sprint model. The model no mentioned in the sticker matches with the phone. So does the IMEI no. There is no IMEI on the box. But later on checking with imei.info the imei turned out to be of a S5.
They import these from China and they modify the software in a way that 4G works in India . While I bought the phone 4G was working (showing 4G in the status bar) with Airtel 4G. I was a bit surprised as I knew that it should not work. After I flashed a Custom ROM 4G doesn't work anymore (the SIM itself isn't recognized). But everything else is OK. Phone phone is mint about 4.8 out of 5 not a 5/5.
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Its probably a phone with bad ESN, IMEI deliberately changed to sell. But the sheer volume of phones available makes, vendor participation more likely. Also A grade clones are pretty difficult to differentiate from the original phones.

Did the IMEI change after custom rom installation?
 
drkrack said:
Its probably a phone with bad ESN, IMEI deliberately changed to sell. But the sheer volume of phones available makes, vendor participation more likely. Also A grade clones are pretty difficult to differentiate from the original phones.

Did the IMEI change after custom rom installation?
Click to expand...
It's not a clone. IMEI didn change
 
tech.addict said:
It's not a clone. IMEI didn change
Click to expand...
Bit confusing if the imei matches the sticker under the battery then it's not possible that its from S5, If from S5 then it has to be a fake model reason u said its a sprint version and why will sprint use a fake imei on the phone ?

Also changing imei on latest android version are bit difficult specially sprint and Verizon.
 
tech.addict said:
It's not a clone. IMEI didn change
Click to expand...

Yes, The phone may not be fake, the IMEI is ! one of the ways to check with bootloader info, look up XDA.
One more way to differentiate a fake , is to compare the camera results side by side, which isn't always possible though.

karankapoor said:
Bit confusing if the imei matches the sticker under the battery then it's not possible that its from S5, If from S5 then it has to be a fake model reason u said its a sprint version and why will sprint use a fake imei on the phone ?
Also changing imei on latest android version are bit difficult specially sprint and Verizon.
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Precisely , Why a fake IMEI ? They want to conceal the info associated with real IMEI !

sbhas2k said:
Is it worth this much trouble? You can get a genuine G4 or s6 at 20 - 25k as second hand and have a piece of mind.
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Everything You want is on the the other side of your FEAR ! ( A great deal in this case ).
Buying a second hand from unknown person is equally risky, what if unknown seller bought such a phone mentioned above and sold it as used phone to you ? You will still need to know, how to differentiate a fake and shady practices.
(My friend went to buy a 15days used Indian iPhone 6 for 20k ! the original bill itself was for 18k ! It was a display piece from Reliance Digital Sold at 50% discount !)
 
drkrack said:
Precisely , Why a fake IMEI ? They want to conceal the info associated with real IMEI ! )
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Who the sellers or the companies ?

If sellers then they really don't need to change the IMEI on the phones to sell in international markets as there is nothing like international tracking for the stolen or bad ESN phones. One can use it without any problem on any network. Even in USA if u have bad esn phone from say verizon u can use it with boost or cricket without any problem.
 
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I'm not advocating that you should buy from them. Actually I advice the opposite.
I'm writing my experience for everybody's benefit.
I already bought and cant return. So I ensured that atleast the phone is a Note 4 actually. I've checked all the hardware info through various softwares. Also checked the bootloader, PDA version, baseband etc. and all seems to be in order.[DOUBLEPOST=1461563630][/DOUBLEPOST]
drkrack said:
Why a fake IMEI ? They want to conceal the info associated with real IMEI !
Click to expand...
How accurate is the imei.info website BTW?
 
tech.addict said:
I'm not advocating that you should buy from them. Actually I advice the opposite.
I'm writing my experience for everybody's benefit.
I already bought and cant return. So I ensured that atleast the phone is a Note 4 actually. I've checked all the hardware info through various softwares. Also checked the bootloader, PDA version, baseband etc. and all seems to be in order.[DOUBLEPOST=1461563630][/DOUBLEPOST]
How accurate is the imei.info website BTW?
Click to expand...
That's a good question ;
There are many sites like IMEI.info
Checkesnfree. Com
IMEIpro. Info
IPhoneimei.net etc.
Many of the paid sites are there too ; where You'll be asked to pay for the info. Most of them get the info from a same database IMHO. Most of the time the data matches in between these sites.
karankapoor said:
Who the sellers or the companies ?

If sellers then they really don't need to change the IMEI on the phones to sell in international markets as there is nothing like international tracking for the stolen or bad ESN phones. One can use it without any problem on any network. Even in USA if u have bad esn phone from say verizon u can use it with boost or cricket without any problem.
Click to expand...
That's the reason I'm doubting the vendor participation ; they'll be expected to sell the phones at a contract price(super discounted) to genuine customers with credentials, who'll stick to the network for contract period. The vendor intermediaries bypass the network lock limitation with hacks and sell it to countries where their networks don't exist. They don't want the IMEI info to be tracked by the service network like Sprint, Verizon etc. In which case the intermediaries may be blacklisted by service providers.
koolcoolkg said:
Get imported pieces from eBay with 1 year seller warranty from reputed seller
http://www.ebay.in/usr/shabbeerhf1?_trksid=p2060516.m2929.l5391&redirect=mobile

With coupon it will go near 20k

Don't risk your hard earned money on these shops
Click to expand...
He's Selling Z5 compact at a good price, buying from eBay is equally riskier, you'll have to prove the IMEI issues(in case of fake or theft phone) to nearly non existent ebay customer care. Which is very cumbersome.
 
drkrack said:
That's a good question ;
There are many sites like IMEI.info
Checkesnfree. Com
IMEIpro. Info
IPhoneimei.net etc.
Many of the paid sites are there too ; where You'll be asked to pay for the info. Most of them get the info from a same database IMHO. Most of the time the data matches in between these sites.

That's the reason I'm doubting the vendor participation ; they'll be expected to sell the phones at a contract price(super discounted) to genuine customers with credentials, who'll stick to the network for contract period. The vendor intermediaries bypass the network lock limitation with hacks and sell it to countries where their networks don't exist. They don't want the IMEI info to be tracked by the service network like Sprint, Verizon etc. In which case the intermediaries may be blacklisted by service providers.

He's Selling Z5 compact at a good price, buying from eBay is equally riskier, you'll have to prove the IMEI issues(in case of fake or theft phone) to nearly non existent ebay customer care. Which is very cumbersome.
Click to expand...
Dude eBay reputed sellers are better than paytm and sometimes flipkart.
Plus you have eBay guarantee to get money back.
Z5 compact is not released in India and is imported.
Plus sellers provide the check of imei.
I asked above seller for genuine check and he verified the imei from Sony us support.
So in my case I believe eBay.
 
tech.addict said:
I bought a Note 4 from Gaffar Market for 19K. It is a Sprint model. The model no mentioned in the sticker matches with the phone. So does the IMEI no. There is no IMEI on the box. But later on checking with imei.info the imei turned out to be of a S5.
They import these from China and they modify the software in a way that 4G works in India . While I bought the phone 4G was working (showing 4G in the status bar) with Airtel 4G. I was a bit surprised as I knew that it should not work. After I flashed a Custom ROM 4G doesn't work anymore (the SIM itself isn't recognized). But everything else is OK. Phone phone is mint about 4.8 out of 5 not a 5/5.
Click to expand...
when did you get your note 4 ? any shop recommendation for reliable imported phones? im looking for a s6 or htc m9
 
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