A happy ending? Serial number concern

[K8ighty3]

Firstly a little background..

So in December last year I upgraded early to get the S10+, I've loved it since I got it!

Two weeks ago today I had a freak accident with it, a glass fell out of my kitchen cupboard and bounced off it, leaving a deep gash in my screen, I felt sick!

So I phoned o2, and they arranged a jiffy bag for me to send the phone in for repair. Once the phone was received I was quoted £252 for the screen, which is fine and expected. While I waited for news(both tracking sites are back to failing captcha security), i decided to look into experiences of other o2 repairs customers and what I read really freaked me out!

Yesterday the phone came back, and it was pristine.. peel off plastic everywhere exactly like when the phone was new, which gave me a concern, so I checked the imei on the phone against my retail box and that matches up, but if I'm right about what I think to be the serial number on the box, that doesn't match up with what the phone reports, could anovo have given me a refurb and changed the imei or am I wrong about what's on the box? There's no mention of what the phone reports the serial number as on the box at all.. I'm not going to post the serial or imei so I can't really show a photo of the box. it's either they've replaced the mid frame and back glass aswell as the screen, or its not the same phone..

Thanks for reading!

[MI5]

@K8ighty3 

It isn't possible (or legal) to change the IMEI number so if it matches your box, it must be the same phone.

[K8ighty3]

Thanks MI5, I know its very illegal, but not possible? I did a little research before i posted, and the stuff I found says its possible, it'd be the only reason my serial number doesn't match whats on the box, there's no other explanation that I can think of at least. Wouldn't o2 have my original serial? Phone came directly from o2

[MI5]

@K8ighty3 

Why would they do that and risk serious prosecution?

Serial number could be changed legitimately if new parts are no longer compatible with original system parts. For example the new screen may have required an additional new component that meant the original serial number would not have provided the correct information when checked in future for service parts.

[K8ighty3]

Well this is anovo we're talking about, the amount of "water damage" posts I've seen relating to them tells me they generally don't care about being underhanded with repairs.

I do see what you're saying though, e.g the underscreen fingerprint scanner may be a part of the display assembly and will have had to be replaced too if that was the case. I think maybe me having a chat with CS tomorrow may be wise, as there was no mention a serial number for the whole device would change, honestly at this point I'm only concerned incase I end up needing the warranty, or if something fails from the repair. Thanks for the responses though

[MI5]

I honestly wouldn't be concerned though @K8ighty3 

The IMEI is the unique identifier. The serial number is fairly irrelevant.