A computer repair shop in Poole, England, has been charged damages amounting to $140,000 for selling unsafe, fraudulent chargers for Apple devices.
Investigators were initially tipped off when a shipment of 220 questionable items was held at East Midlands Airport in 2018. Following this, trading standards officers visited the offices of CK IT Solutions Limited, and recovered more than 1,400 products.
The captured devices — which were found to pose a risk of electric shock — were described as having “little or no distinguishable difference” from official Apple chargers. On the outside, at least.
The firm was taken to court after an investigation by authorities. While it reportedly believed the parts were authentic, it failed to carry out proper testing procedures. Instead, it simply checked that the chargers could charge laptops.
The company admitted offenses that related to electrical safety and fake goods.
Fines handed out
The Bournemouth Daily Echo describes the legal action taken against the store:
“At a hearing on May 7, Bournemouth Crown Court ruled the company had derived a benefit of £100,000 [approximately $140,000] from its criminal conduct and the business was told to pay a confiscation order for this total sum within three months under the Proceeds of Crime Act.
In addition, Judge Brian Forster QC issued a £4,000 [$5,600] fine and ordered the company to pay £2,500 [$3,500] costs and a £170 [$240] surcharge. This £6,670 [$9,400] bill must be paid within 12 months.
He also ordered forfeiture and destruction of the 1,446 items seized from the business’s premises in Sterte Avenue.”
The judge described the repair shop as “a small company working hard and legitimately to have a successful business,” that basically fell victim to a supplier that delivered counterfeit goods. However, he did not let the shop off the hook.
“There must be an ongoing obligation on a company to ensure the goods provided are safe for members of the public to use,” said Forster. However, he said the shop owners listened to complaints and worked to “[improve] their systems.”
Counterfeit chargers remain a pretty big problem worldwide. In the past, they have been known to cause fires and injuries. A study several years ago found that 99% of fake chargers failed basic safety tests. To combat this, Apple operates a USB Power Adapter Takeback Program for those who wish to swap out their third-party chargers for official ones.
Have you ever had any problems with non-authentic chargers or other Apple accessories? Let us know in the comments below.
Source: Bournemouth Echo
