Mobile menu toggle

counterfeit

Read Cult of Mac’s latest posts on counterfeit:

Fake iPhone smuggler gets 3-year prison sentence

By

iPhone XS box gold
Bag yours before they're all gone.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

A Chinese national caught smuggling fake Apple products into the United States has been handed a three-year prison sentence.

Jianhua “Jeff” Li pled guilty to trafficking more than 40,000 devices, including counterfeit iPhone and iPad knockoffs, back in February. He made more than $1.1 million from the scheme.

Customs officials seize stash of fake iPhone components in Hong Kong

By

The iPhone XS Max is 25 percent larger than any previous iOS handset. So how is it as an iPad mini replacement?
Make sure you trust the companies you're buying from.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

$120,000 of knockoff parts for iPhones and other handsets have been seized by customs officials in Hong Kong. The parts were being used to repair handsets sent in from countries including the United States, U.K. and Australia.

The director and manager of the company were arrested during a raid on the company’s offices in the city of Tuen Mun. The offices were being used as a workshop and warehouse. One hundred phones sent in for repairs were found onsite.

Apple takes aim at counterfeit accessories on Amazon

By

A reversible USB-to-Lighning cable and redesigned charger. One could be ready to ship this fall. Photo: Moca
Beware fake accessories from Mobile Star.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Apple is clamping down on counterfeit cables and chargers being sold on Amazon. The company this week filed a lawsuit against Mobile Star, claiming almost 90 percent of its accessories are fakes and pose a risk to users.

Speck Sues Counterfeit iPhone Case Maker For Millions

By

speck_candyshell_flip_iphone_4_case_1

Speck is the Trojan of iPhone cases: you might not want to wear one, but they’re everywhere, and it’s better than going bareback. Speck’s colorful, buttony cases are pretty much ubiquitous, and one of the most easily recognizable iPhone case brands out there.

In fact, Speck is so recognizable that there are aapparently counterfeit Speck cases on the market… and Speck is so honked off about it that they are suing the maker of these fake Speck cases for mllions.

Thief Who Used Fake Credit Cards To Buy $1 Million Worth Of Apple Goods Gets 9 Years In Prison

By

Busted.
Busted. (Image courtesy of Blakespot on Flickr.)

A gang leader who orchestrated the production of counterfeit credit cards and then used them to purchase over $1 million worth of iPhones, iPads, and MacBooks from Apple Stores throughout the United States has been sentenced to up to nine years in prison.

Can You Tell This Phony iPhone 4S From The Real Thing? [Video]

By

post-160183-image-7d4a244a7042030bc7ff2e2991f8ff10-jpg

Unreal. This phony iPhone 4S found in Turkey looks and feels exactly like the real thing up until you turn it on… and even then, if you weren’t already familiar with what an iPhone’s low battery warning looks like, you might mistake it for the real thing. This is why you should either buy your gadgets from an Apple Store, or test them extensively before buying.

Watch Out! Scammers Want To Sell You A Fake iPad This Christmas. Here’s How To Avoid Being Ripped Off

By

Fake iPads (Credit: Flickr/ukhomeoffice)
Fake iPads (Credit: Flickr/ukhomeoffice)

You want to buy an iPad for Christmas. The problem: scammers know it too and are waiting in prey for you this holiday season. Here are some tips on how to safely shop for tablets online without falling victim to hoax high-tech Santas.

Apple Is On The Hunt For Counterfeit Goods In New York

By

Image courtesy of International Business Times
Image courtesy of International Business Times

In a bid to rid New York City stores of shoddy counterfeit goods, Apple has reportedly cracked down on a number of businesses that are selling fake accessories — seizing items found in its raids and demanding that companies change their names if they’re too similar to that of the Cupertino company itself.