Delhi Police has caught a big racket of manufacturing and selling fake mobile phones in Karol Bagh area of Delhi. This incident shows how easily fake premium phones are being sold in the market, which look absolutely genuine but inside are substandard and full of fraud. On the night of 13-14 December 2025, the police raided a shop in Bidonpura area of Karol Bagh. There four people were caught red handed, who were assembling fake Samsung premium phones.
The arrested accused include mastermind Hakim (36, resident of Ashok Vihar), Mehtab Ahmed Ansari (36), Ravi Ahuja (36) and Rahul (33, resident of Karol Bagh). Hakim is only 8th pass and has no technical training, yet he was the kingpin of this racket.
Police recovered 512 fake premium Samsung phones (Ultra, Fold and Flip models), along with 124 motherboards, 138 batteries, 459 fake IMEI stickers (Vietnam marked) and assembly tools. These accused used to import spare parts from China which included motherboard, camera, speaker, body frame. Then by pasting fake IMEI numbers, these phones were sold as new branded Samsung phones for Rs 35,000 to 40,000.
This racket was running in an organized manner, which not only cheats the customers but also promotes telecom fraud. Fake IMEI makes it difficult to trace the phone. Police have registered a case under relevant sections of the Telecommunication Act and BNS and are investigating the supply chain.
Don’t get duped into buying a cheap phone…
This incident is a warning not to fall prey to the lure of cheap or discounted premium phones. Often such fake phones are sold in local markets or unknown shops, which get damaged within a few days, pose a risk of data theft or do not provide warranty.
How to check if the phone is fake?
Always buy from authorized dealer, check IMEI number (dial *#06#), collect bill and verify box packing. Extract and match the IMEI number: Dial *#06# in the phone. IMEI will appear on the screen. Now match it with the IMEI written on the phone box, under the battery (if removable) or in Settings (About Phone). If the numbers are different or don’t match, the IMEI may be fake or changed.
Check on government portal (for India): Visit Sanchar Saathi portal (sancharsaathi.gov.in) or CEIR (ceir.gov.in). Enter the number in the IMEI verification section. SMS the old way: KYM <15 digits IMEI> and send it to 14422.
In pursuit of cheapness, both thousands of rupees and privacy can be looted. This action of the police will stop the sale of fake phones in the market, but vigilance is your own responsibility.
