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This entire story stated on Monday, 13/04/2026, when my mum purchased 2 brand new Redmi phones for my younger siblings while on a trip to Lagos.

Upon arrival late that night, we unboxed both phones and see they contain completely different contents (which is odd for phones of the same model).

Phone 1 contains:
- The Phone, Green colour (without protective film)
- A pouch
- The normal Redmi 33W charger
- The IMEI on the carton is different from what's on the phone.
- The battery is low, and since new phones don't come with low battery, I decided to check the battery cycle and it was at 69 (which means someone had likely used it for a couple of months).

Phone 2 contains:
- The phone, black colour (with the screen protective film intact)
- A generic 9V charger
- No pouch
- The IMEI on the carton is the same with what's on the phone, however, the code to check IMEI, which should bring up same IMEI shows nothing.
- Battery level is normal

Now with all this tiny flags, we would have still kept both phones, as travelling back to Lagos to complain isn't feasible, but then, one of my siblings approached me that WhatsApp wouldn't activate, so I took the phone with the intention of activating WhatsApp. I tried to activate both WhatsApp and WhatsApp Business, but despite everything, I kept getting an error similar to Unable to activate WhatsApp, please download the official version of WhatsApp to continue.

Since WhatsApp and WhatsApp Business wouldn't activate irrespective of what I tried, I started researching why WhatsApp wouldn't work, and this led me into checking the phone itself.

As it turned out, the Bootloaders of both phones are unlocked, and an unlocked bootloader is a security threat, so WhatsApp and other high-security apps won't activate.

An unlocked Bootloader on a new phone also signifies the phone is either fake, OR has been tampered with.

I reached out to a Redmi service center, and they ran a check on the IMEI, and as suspected, both phones has been compromised.

Here is what was found:

Phone 1:

- phone with the IMEI was first activated on August 24, 2025, and still under warranty.
- Should be black in colour (not green)
- Nigerian version
- The serial Number on the phone does not correspond with the IMEI, so the phone is fake.
(A valid IMEI with an invalid serial number signifies a fake phone. The sellers stole the IMEI from an original phone, then flashed it on a fake phone)

Phone 2
- IMEI was first activated on November 16, 2025
- Phone is Philippines version.
- sellers must have flashed it with Global Rom to make it sellable in Nigeria .

In conclusion, one phone is fake, while the other one is a Non-Nigerian version that was compromised to make it work in Nigeria.

I was advised to return both phones.

So, continuation (summary):

- My mum scheduled a trip back to Lagos to return both phones yesterday.

- The seller refused to refund, instead, he opted to give her new ones.

- She met many resellers from different states there, who where there to buy phones to sell.

- They all convinced her nothing's wrong with the phones, and I'm saying nonsense.

- For the new ones they gave her, they removed the new phones from different boxes and gave it to her while keeping the box and accessories and asking her to keep the previous box and accessories. This is a red flag, because boxes and phones go together as the IMEI and SN are written on both box and phone.

- The two new phones are still compromised. Both have unlocked Bootloaders, fail basic integrity test and are not play-protect certified.

- The seller activated WhatsApp on one of the 2 phones to prove to her WhatsApp works (and I don't know what I'm saying), but I believe he most likely just used an app or software to bypass the security verification and WhatsApp will stop working in a few weeks.

- I reached out to the Xiaomi service center again with the IMEI and SN of both phones. Both are none Nigerian phones (One Philippines, one Cameroon). One have invalid Serial number which suggests it's likely fake. Both being a Non-Nigerian phone explains why it needs to be flashed with a custom rom.

- My mum went to show the phones to a phone engineer here, and the engineer told her both phones are okay and it will serve the school purpose my siblings need it for

- At the moment, it appears my mama believe all of them (especially the resellers she met, and the engineer here that she knows very well). So she believes the phone is original and the normal one being sold around.

- I was planning to send a mail to FCCPC and LASCOPA before, in the hope they'll investigate the business and help get a refund, but as things stand, I don't think I will write any of them, since my mum isn't interested in the refund anymore.

- Instead, I will send a mail to Xiaomi Nigeria alone with all the details, then call them to follow up and hope they take it up (because it's their brand that's being damaged by the fake/compromised phone).


- All in all, if you want to buy phone, try to buy from a trusted source (if possible, the brand official store). There's so many altered/compromised devices out there.

I will probably update this thread once I call Xiaomi Nigeria on Monday.

With all those observations on supposedly new devices, the seller should be called out. I am sure the seller is aware of this to some extent. These are China used/fake devices that were modified to work in Nigeria. What a shame!

Bossman:
With all those observations on supposedly new devices, the seller should be called out. I am sure the seller is aware of this to some extent. These are China used/fake devices that were modified to work in Nigeria. What a shame!

Yes, I'm planning to call Xiaomi Nigeria official line on Monday. I called on Saturday, and an Automated voice told me they are only active from 9am - 4pm Monday - Friday.

If nothing, the company should at least be able to do something about it to protect their brand name.

Nothing is sweet as buying from slot or k ultra or 3c hub... Things like this can rarely happen

Ayemileto:
If you purchased a Redmi device and apps that require high security (like WhatsApp and bank apps) aren't working, then you most likely got a fake/compromised Phone with unlocked Bootloader and a Global rom.

I'm writing this thread to create awareness for people planning to purchase phones (or those who already purchased the fake phones). I'm currently exploring other channels to get refund from this sellers and return their fake phones to them

Same things happen to me

Redmi 6a

They lock the bootloader

they keep banning my WhatsApp on it until I see I'm not official WhatsApp app

In anything you're doing avoid redmi phone ooo

So, I've sent a mail to Xiaomi Nigeria support this morning. I copied FCCPC, SON, LASCOPA and Xiaomi Global in the mail.

After sending the mail, I called Xiaomi Nigeria support, and they checked the IMEI and they told me the seller is not an official seller, and I should return to the seller to get a refund OR insist he sells me a local version . Literally, they can't help with getting back a refund.

Well, I asked if they could investigate the business, because the business is damaging their brand by selling compromised Non-local versions of their phones, and they responded that they'll see my mail and escalate it as appropriate.

So, let's see if I hear back from them.

I will probably call FCCPC, LASCOPA and SON too before the day runs out. I already copied all of them in the mail, but calling might be faster.

Forget about it

Don't buy from unauthorized seller again

Go to Slot to get your phone

Ayemileto:
So, I've sent a mail to Xiaomi Nigeria support this morning. I copied FCCPC, SON, LASCOPA and Xiaomi Global in the mail.

After sending the mail, I called Xiaomi Nigeria support, and they checked the IMEI and they told me the seller is not an official seller, and I should return to the seller to get a refund OR insist he sells me a local version . Literally, they can't help with getting back a refund.

Well, I asked if they could investigate the business, because the business is damaging their brand by selling compromised Non-local versions of their phones, and they responded that they'll see my mail and escalate it as appropriate.

So, let's see if I hear back from them.

I will probably call FCCPC, LASCOPA and SON too before the day runs out. I already copied all of them in the mail, but calling might be faster.

Oluhgbengaa:
Forget about it

Don't buy from unauthorized seller again

Go to Slot to get your phone

I get, but even if we don't end up getting a refund, I'll like to see appropriate punishment meted out to the seller/business.

Selling fake stuffs (in pretence it is genuine) is fraud, and is punishable by law.

I later sell the phone at the rate of 5k today

Can't use redmi phone or product again

Ayemileto:
I get, but even if we don't end up getting a refund, I'll like to see appropriate punishment meted out to the seller/business.

Selling fake stuffs (in pretence it is genuine) is fraud, and is punishable by law.

Oluhgbengaa:
I later sell the phone at the rate of 5k today

Can't use redmi phone or product again

Hmm.

Redmi sent me a list of their official sellers in different states in Nigeria, and ask me to always buy from them.

They later sent another mail that the device appears to be their original hardware, but since it's not a local version, there'll be compatibility issue.

Based on the response, I don't think they'll do anything about the sellers

I just let them know their brand name will eventually get damaged if they don't do anything about it, because, no one will keep buying Redmi phones if they can't use normal day-to-day apps on it or if the follow come charger can't charge the phone properly?

If they don't do anything about the sellers, then, I personally expect the brand to fall off the Nigerian market within 5 years, because everyone will naturally start avoiding it.

Can send the list of the official seller please 🥺 🙏

Ayemileto:
Hmm.

Redmi sent me a list of their official sellers in different states in Nigeria, and ask me to always buy from them.

They later sent another mail that the device appears to be their original hardware, but since it's not a local version, there'll be compatibility issue.

Based on the response, I don't think they'll do anything about the sellers

I just let them know their brand name will eventually get damaged if they don't do anything about it, because, no one will keep buying Redmi phones if they can't use normal day-to-day apps on it or if the follow come charger can't charge the phone properly?

If they don't do anything about the sellers, then, I personally expect the brand to fall off the Nigerian market within 5 years, because everyone will naturally start avoiding it.

Oluhgbengaa:
Can send the list of the official seller please 🥺 🙏

I have attached it below.

So, We got a full refund for both phones today, thanks to SON.

SON followed up the matter, and the seller contacted us himself that we should bring back both phones for a refund.

I don't know if LASCOPA and Xiaomi support followed it up though, as they haven't sent me any mail since, but I got a resolution mail from SON same day the seller contacted my mum, so I know the resolution came from them.

I've also sent SON an update today after we got the refund.

Thank you to everyone who followed this thread so far.

We will be getting new phones from one of the official vendors Xiaomi sent to me above.