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Apple Warns Customers to Beware of Counterfeit Power Adapters and Batteries

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Apr 12, 2001
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Nearly two months after filing a lawsuit against a firm selling counterfeit Apple power adapters and Lightning cables on Amazon, Apple has updated its website to advise customers to beware of counterfeit parts.

Apple warns some counterfeit and third-party power adapters and batteries could pose safety risks, and recommends customers visit an Apple Store or Apple Authorized Service Provider for genuine parts.
Beware of counterfeit parts

Some counterfeit and third party power adapters and batteries may not be designed properly and could result in safety issues.

To ensure you receive a genuine Apple battery during a battery replacement, we recommend visiting an Apple Store or Apple Authorized Service Provider. If you need a replacement adapter to charge your Apple device, we recommend getting an Apple power adapter.
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As revealed in its lawsuit against counterfeiter Mobile Star LLC, Apple found almost 90% of so-called "genuine" Apple products and accessories it purchased from Amazon in a nine-month period were actually counterfeit. U.S. certification company UL later found 99% of fake Apple chargers sold online fail basic safety tests.

Following the lawsuit, an Amazon spokesperson informed MacRumors it has "zero tolerance for the sale of counterfeits" on its website. "We work closely with manufacturers and brands, and pursue wrongdoers aggressively."

Amazon reportedly plans to crack down on counterfeit products sold through its website next year by creating a registry to prevent fake goods from being listed for sale. Apple could sign up for the registry, for example, and merchants would then have to obtain official brand permission before they can sell products and accessories.

Article Link: Apple Warns Customers to Beware of Counterfeit Power Adapters and Batteries
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2016/12/13/apple-says-beware-of-counterfeit-parts/
ghostface147 said:
Maybe offer lower prices and MUCH more durable charging cables to help us out.
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Not saying that Apple isn´t charging a bit too much for their chargers but when you look at photos from tear downs of Apple chargers vs. cheap 3rd chargers it´s quite easy to see that you get a lot more from Apple..

It´s not just overcharging for the sake of profit, it´s actually a much better built product as well..
 
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Can someone explain how this affects Mfi certified product makers like Anker? It seems this article is only in regards to products PRETENDING to be Apple products. But Apple makes it sound like even the 3rd party chargers are dangerous if they only want you to purchase FROM Apple or Apple Authorized dealers. What about buying an Anker lightning cable?
 
As a manufacturer that gets parts made in China the big issue is that the suppliers in China don't see making copies as any type of issue. They just don't see it as illegal or wrong. We work with tons of factories and often get presented with designs that are just blatant rip offs. When we point this out to them, their answer is "so what?" This is from reputable factories that make really high quality parts. If this is their response then god knows what the dodgy knock it out as cheap as you can operations are like.

I honestly believe they don't see it as ripping off someone else's design or as counterfeit.

Amazon and ebay really need to do more as well as Alibaba when most ebay stuff is sourced from. The big problem that Amazon has is that most people think that all stuff on Amazon is actually supplied by Amazon. They have a big reputational problem that is getting worse and worse.
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funnyboy88 said:
Can someone explain how this affects Mfi certified product makers like Anker? It seems this article is only in regards to products PRETENDING to be Apple products. But Apple makes it sound like even the 3rd party chargers are dangerous if they only want you to purchase FROM Apple or Apple Authorized dealers. What about buying an Anker lightning cable?
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There is not an issue with MFI certified products as they contain Apple supplied parts and the design and actual production samples are tested and signed off by Apple. The factories are also MFI certified by Apple.
 
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My son has a charger that he claims is NOT and Apple charger. He says he bought it at some mall store that sold cheap chargers. It looks identical to the Apple one, and even has the design by Apple information.

I compared it to my charger, and if I mixed them up, I wouldn't know what one was mine.

Not sure how people are suppose to know if they have a knock off with the fakes looking so real.
 
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I bought a non-Apple charger on Amazon that wasn't a counterfeit. It was made by Scosche. The thing would spark whenever I touched it when it was plugged in. I threw that thing right in the trash. I guess I would just stick with Apple chargers. Probably buy something sold at Best Buy. I would assume they don't sell cheap crap.

I've bought a couple Amazon Basic branded cables. Just had one fail 2 weeks ago. Never had an Apple cable fail. I did like the Amazon cable, because it was much longer.
 
Apple charges outrageous prices for accessories so although there's nothing wrong with warning against buying cheap counterfeit chargers and cables, it can't help sounding quite hollow.

Yes Apple chargers are nice and (generally) well-built, but they aren't the only company to make nice well-built chargers, and they don't all charge what Apple charges for their chargers. And yes, that is far too many uses of the word 'charge' in a single sentence, I know!
 
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woody74 said:
As a manufacturer that gets parts made in China the big issue is that the suppliers in China don't see making copies as any type of issue. They just don't see it as illegal or wrong.
...
I honestly believe they don't see it as ripping off someone else's design or as counterfeit.
...
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And USB-C chargers sourced clandestinely from China will bring a new world of serious pain, with power delivery from 60WDC (3A@20VDC) to 100WDC (5A@20VDC).
 
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The only adapter I ever returned came from Apple.
Shortcutted/defunct Apple cables: 7
 
b11051973 said:
I've bought a couple Amazon Basic branded cables. Just had one fail 2 weeks ago. Never had an Apple cable fail. I did like the Amazon cable, because it was much longer.
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For high-quality cables at incredibly reasonable prices, try Monoprice. Their DP/HDMI/USB cables are the bee's knees. (I have no affiliation to them, only a satisfied customer.)
 
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There are 3rd party cables, like Anker Powerline+, which are much better quality than Apple's. Apple's cables never last and are way too expensive, which forces its customers to look elsewhere for replacements.
 
Well, Apple doesn't straight up even sell batteries, so... They charge $80 to replace one, and in something that would resale for 100-120 that's just not worth it (thinking of my own iPhone 5 and girlfriends 5C). Meanwhile I can get a replacement battery for $10-15 online, replace it myself and be on my merry way.

As for chargers, the MFI ones aren't the problem anyway. I love many of the third party Anker/Aukey ones I have. But those cheap junk/knockoff ones are absolutely an issue. And I am glad they're trying to do something about it.
 
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b11051973 said:
I bought a non-Apple charger on Amazon that wasn't a counterfeit. It was made by Scosche. The thing would spark whenever I touched it when it was plugged in. I threw that thing right in the trash. I guess I would just stick with Apple chargers. Probably buy something sold at Best Buy. I would assume they don't sell cheap crap.

I've bought a couple Amazon Basic branded cables. Just had one fail 2 weeks ago. Never had an Apple cable fail. I did like the Amazon cable, because it was much longer.
Click to expand...

Your best bet is gonna be Monoprice or Anker. Bestbuy does sell a bunch of cheap crap. At least the two places I mention have good warranties.
 
BrettApple said:
Well, Apple doesn't straight up even sell batteries, so... They charge $80 to replace one, and in something that would resale for 100-120 that's just not worth it (thinking of my own iPhone 5 and girlfriends 5C). Meanwhile I can get a replacement battery for $10-15 online, replace it myself and be on my merry way.

As for chargers, the MFI ones aren't the problem anyway. I love many of the third party Anker/Aukey ones I have. But those cheap junk/knockoff ones are absolutely an issue. And I am glad they're trying to do something about it.
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Replacing an MBP battery at an authorized service center can cost you $180 (or maybe more) around the world, and be actually a good third party one.

A similar battery could cost a third of that at Amazon, but how do you know which are not bad?
 
I have a couple of fake cables since there is no risk for the electronic if the cable is defective or low quality (the charge from the outlet is already low voltage as it passed through the charger). However, I would never buy a fake charger as they contain parts that literally can make fire or electrocute you instantly. For the same reason I never buy third party high-capacity batteries for phones, tablets or laptops, only the original. Also, I never ever leave a device with a lithium ion batteries charging or connected to the outlet if I'm not in the room.
 
vertical smile said:
My son has a charger that he claims is NOT and Apple charger. He says he bought it at some mall store that sold cheap chargers. It looks identical to the Apple one, and even has the design by Apple information.

I compared it to my charger, and if I mixed them up, I wouldn't know what one was mine.

Not sure how people are suppose to know if they have a knock off with the fakes looking so real.
Click to expand...

If you buy it from Apple, it's an Apple charger. If you buy a "genuine Apple" charger anywhere else, it's 99% a fake.

For iPhone chargers, a bad sign is if you cannot use the touch screen while charging; that's a strong indication that your charger is very dodgy. (It means the charger produces a voltage that your iPhone can't quite handle).
 
gnasher729 said:
If you buy it from Apple, it's an Apple charger. If you buy a "genuine Apple" charger anywhere else, it's 99% a fake.
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I would think that if you buy an "Apple-compatible", or "replacement" charger that looks identical it is also a fake.

The OEM acronym seems to be abused too.
 
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