Plover police issue scam warning after reports of counterfeit goods

By Brandi Makuski

Plover police are warning area residents against purchasing goods from unorthodox sources.

Police Chief Ryan Fox said his department has taken three complaints from village residents who, in recent months, were sold counterfeit phones and watches by a juvenile male.

Fox said the PPD has referred charges be filed against the boy by the Portage Co. District Attorney’s Office.

Fox said his department doesn’t believe it’s a widespread issue, but anyone who’s experienced a problem should contact PPD at (715) 345-5255.

PPD has released the following tips for shoppers:

**BUYER BEWARE**

Here are some things you can do to protect yourself when buying electronics:

1. If you can, buy from a reputable dealer. We understand this isn’t always the best option for people trying to save money.
2. If something seems too good to be true, it probably is. Use caution when buying secondhand.
3. Consider where you are meeting a seller. It is best practice to meet somewhere where there are cameras. If you can’t, take a photograph of the seller. The police department parking lot is a good option and may help to deter fraudsters. Or arrange to meet at your cellular company for them to activate the phone before you hand over any money.
4. Scammers will often use a fake social media profile to sell fraudulent phones. Check to see if there are any indications of that and beware if the person delivering the phone is not the same as the profile.
5. A counterfeit phone will often have shoddy exterior. Examine it closely for buttons in the wrong place and bezels that don’t look quite right
6. Turn the phone on before payment. Watch for strange-looking home screens and icons, missing features or menus, or non-standard pre-installed apps. You can watch a YouTube video to see what the screen should look like.
7. A fake smartphone will also skimp out on hardware to make a profit. The most common scams involve using poor-quality cameras, omitting NFC or fingerprint components, and even running custom homebrew software on cheaper processors. Fortunately, it’s very easy to find official spec sheets from handset manufacturers online to double-check against the phone in your hands. Test out the cameras. Make sure both the front and back cameras work and have all the features promised with the device, like a wide-angle lens or telephoto zoom.
8. Compare the chip in the phone against the official spec sheet. You don’t need to take the phone apart to do this. You just need to quickly install CPU-Z from the Play Store. The app will give you a rundown of the key processing and low-level software components inside the phone.
9. To help against stolen or blacklisted products, you’ll want to check out the International Mobile Equipment Identification number (IMEI) against the claims made by your seller.  You can type *#06# into the phone’s dialer, and a box will pop up with the number. You’ll also find the IMEI printed on the phone’s box, making it a cinch to double-check if your prospective purchase comes in its original packaging. Popping the number into the imei.info website will give you a breakdown of the handset’s status.