I'll agree with GrandFather, and add one: how about you show us the data, too - maybe by running it through 'hexdump -C' or some equivalent?

#!/usr/bin/perl -w
use strict;

my $s1 = "1\xe2\x80\x932\xe2\x80\x933";
my $s2 = "1-2-3";

print "$s1: not $s2, but a brilliant imitation!\n"
    unless $s1 eq $s2;
[download]

Output:

1𣇽: not 1-2-3, but a brilliant imitation!
[download]

Depending on your character set, those n-dashes could well end up looking like dots, etc.

-- 
I hate storms, but calms undermine my spirits.
 -- Bernard Moitessier, "The Long Way"