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This guide pertains to the Dolce RAZR that was offered after the initial 1,000 ultra-exclusive, 24 karat liquid gold ones.
Vote if this is helpful to you. It is pretty detailed.
There are many things that set a real Dolce RAZR v3i apart from a fake one:
1.Never bid on or buy a listing that does not have pictures of the actual product you are to receive. Many of these listings have photos of real phones that they say are "similar" like the one you're bidding on, but they are actually fakes. Having a set of detailed photos will help verify what you will get, and also point out if it is a fraud or not. BEWARE OF BUYING THESE PHONES FROM AN ONLINE STORE, RATHER THAN AN INDIVIDUAL SELLER! If they say they have more than one available for a "buy it now"
price, it's a joke...these phones are a little too spread out around the globe for them to have that many. These phones, though not as rare as the couture ones, are still hard to find. The most genuine ones usually come from people who are getting rid of their own.
2. In terms of packaging, the most glaring difference is the lack of a "DG" charm that comes standard with the phone. If you are bidding on a new phone without a charm, it is 100% fake unless otherwise stated (i.e. the seller loved the charm so much that they kept it, or if they tell you that they decided to put the charm up as another listing to make more money). The gold box that the phone comes in should have a white sticker on it that clearly states it is a "D&G" V3i, not just "V3i". Also, the white sticker will be rectangular in nature, not square. Ask for a picture of this if it is not provided or is not clear on the listing.
3. If the phone is said to be "unlocked", meaning that it will work with all GSM carriers like AT&T, T-Mobile, etc., don't hesitate to ask about what comes in the packaging. An overwhelming number of these RAZRs were sold exclusively through T-Mobile, so the T-Mobile paperwork should still be included in the box. Ask the seller specifically if this information is in the box. If it is locked to T-Mobile, that is a good sign, and you can always unlock the phone for another GSM carrier through a professional "phone doctor" after you buy it.
4. Refrain from bidding on/buying listings that offer a new Dolce RAZR AND matching headset for less than $350. Genuine RAZRs of this nature can command that much money without the headset, anyway. If the RAZR is used, expect to pay $150-$300 for the phone, depending on the condition.
5. If you already bought a Dolce RAZR from Ebay without reading this guide first, don't worry; here are some physical and software traits that will enable you to validate the authenticity of your phone:
The entire outer casing will be gold, save for the black screen on the front of the phone. If you notice that the little rubber circle on the bottom-left corner on the back of the phone is not gold in any way, chances are your phone is phony.
The "Dolce & Gabbana" logo on the back of the phone should be etched into the device, then be silver in nature. if the words are not silver, it could be fake or that piece has been replaced.
The number pad should be platinum in nature, capable of reflecting insane amounts of light. The directional pad (circular) on the number pad will be gray for the directions, but will have a gold center. If the keypad is more of a standard yellow gold, it is fake or has been replaced.
The interior screen should have a gold outline around it (not silver like the regular RAZR), and the little "M" symbol where you put your ear during a call should also be gold.
In terms of software, the Dolce RAZR is capable of independent text speech, meaning that you don't have to train the device to know what you're saying when you're, for instance, trying to voice dial. If you say something, it will automatically recognize what you're saying. If your Dolce RAZR does not do this, and instead is saying that there are no "voice names stored in the phone book" or something like that, then the phone is fake.
Those are just a few glaring mistakes. Be careful out there and happy bidding!
Vote if this is helpful to you. It is pretty detailed.
There are many things that set a real Dolce RAZR v3i apart from a fake one:
1.Never bid on or buy a listing that does not have pictures of the actual product you are to receive. Many of these listings have photos of real phones that they say are "similar" like the one you're bidding on, but they are actually fakes. Having a set of detailed photos will help verify what you will get, and also point out if it is a fraud or not. BEWARE OF BUYING THESE PHONES FROM AN ONLINE STORE, RATHER THAN AN INDIVIDUAL SELLER! If they say they have more than one available for a "buy it now"
price, it's a joke...these phones are a little too spread out around the globe for them to have that many. These phones, though not as rare as the couture ones, are still hard to find. The most genuine ones usually come from people who are getting rid of their own.
2. In terms of packaging, the most glaring difference is the lack of a "DG" charm that comes standard with the phone. If you are bidding on a new phone without a charm, it is 100% fake unless otherwise stated (i.e. the seller loved the charm so much that they kept it, or if they tell you that they decided to put the charm up as another listing to make more money). The gold box that the phone comes in should have a white sticker on it that clearly states it is a "D&G" V3i, not just "V3i". Also, the white sticker will be rectangular in nature, not square. Ask for a picture of this if it is not provided or is not clear on the listing.
3. If the phone is said to be "unlocked", meaning that it will work with all GSM carriers like AT&T, T-Mobile, etc., don't hesitate to ask about what comes in the packaging. An overwhelming number of these RAZRs were sold exclusively through T-Mobile, so the T-Mobile paperwork should still be included in the box. Ask the seller specifically if this information is in the box. If it is locked to T-Mobile, that is a good sign, and you can always unlock the phone for another GSM carrier through a professional "phone doctor" after you buy it.
4. Refrain from bidding on/buying listings that offer a new Dolce RAZR AND matching headset for less than $350. Genuine RAZRs of this nature can command that much money without the headset, anyway. If the RAZR is used, expect to pay $150-$300 for the phone, depending on the condition.
5. If you already bought a Dolce RAZR from Ebay without reading this guide first, don't worry; here are some physical and software traits that will enable you to validate the authenticity of your phone:
The entire outer casing will be gold, save for the black screen on the front of the phone. If you notice that the little rubber circle on the bottom-left corner on the back of the phone is not gold in any way, chances are your phone is phony.
The "Dolce & Gabbana" logo on the back of the phone should be etched into the device, then be silver in nature. if the words are not silver, it could be fake or that piece has been replaced.
The number pad should be platinum in nature, capable of reflecting insane amounts of light. The directional pad (circular) on the number pad will be gray for the directions, but will have a gold center. If the keypad is more of a standard yellow gold, it is fake or has been replaced.
The interior screen should have a gold outline around it (not silver like the regular RAZR), and the little "M" symbol where you put your ear during a call should also be gold.
In terms of software, the Dolce RAZR is capable of independent text speech, meaning that you don't have to train the device to know what you're saying when you're, for instance, trying to voice dial. If you say something, it will automatically recognize what you're saying. If your Dolce RAZR does not do this, and instead is saying that there are no "voice names stored in the phone book" or something like that, then the phone is fake.
Those are just a few glaring mistakes. Be careful out there and happy bidding!
Guide created: 10/05/07 (updated 10/03/09)
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