The Chinese governement is finally starting to crack down on fake Apple stores and service centers that look just like the real deal.
Authorities in Beijing fined a store 270,000 yuan (US$43,000) after it was found to be infrining on Apple’s intellectual property and fooling customers into thinking they were getting serviced directly by Apple.
The fake Apple store had an “Apple service centre” sign on it. Employees wore dark blue shirts with Apple logos on them, exactly as you’d see in a real Apple store.
According to the report from the South Morning China Post, Investigators discovered that the store sold counterfeit electronic parts, so some of the repairs they made may have been unsafe or degraded the quality of the iPhones serviced.
Intellectual property theft has always been a sticky issue between the U.S. and China. Apple has made efforts to build a stronger relationship with the country’s government in recent years. China’s decision to crackdown on the fake shops could be a sign that the two sides are coming closer together.
The first store that was fined was part of a company called Beijing Zheng Yuan Henri Technology, which claims it supports 30,000 companies with repair services. Investigations are reportedly underway at other stores in the Beijing area.
