Pretty much everyone has a mobile phone these days, which means a lot of people also have a charging cable. Although so many people own mobile phones, many of us don’t know the dangers of owning a counterfeit or uncertified mobile phone charging cable.
In this blog, as it’s the most popular smartphone in the UK, we’re going to look at how to spot a fake iPhone charger.
As the iPhone is the most popular choice of smartphone with consumers, this means fake iPhone chargers are on the rise and the risk of being caught out by one is greater.
So, what are the risks?
50% of chargers bought from online trading/auction sites use poor components and the average fake has less than half the amount of components that genuine Apple cables have, which accounts to counterfeits only costing 3p. Is the saving worth risking it? No.
There’s always a risk with fake chargers that they can cause your device to overheat and subsequently explode, destroying your phone and possibly injuring you in the process. The poor components used to make a fake charger can also lead to electrocution, frying your phone’s inner tech and giving you a bit of a shock too.
You don’t need to be an expert to spot a fake charger
There are a few things you can check before using your charger to find out if it’s a fake or not.
- Check for safety marks and text on the plug. Look out for the CE mark missing which should sit between the two bottom pins on the underside of the charger, or any spelling mistakes in the text.
- The USB socket may be upside down on fake chargers compared to a genuine iPhone charger. Position the plug on its back and have a look the way the USB is positioned.
- Due to less components being used, fake charging cables are lighter than real ones so if you have some scales handy, this is an easy way to see if your charging cable is real or not, bear in mind, the wall adapter part of the charger should weigh at least 40g.
- A fairly obvious indicator of a fake is the finish of the plug. Genuine chargers usually have a high quality, matte and a uniform finish whereas the finish on a fake charger is usually glossy or shiny with imperfections.
It’s a lot easier to tell if a charger is a fake or not when you have it in your hands, this is why purchasing a counterfeit charger online can be easily done as it’s harder to tell if it’s fake by looking at poor quality or a limited amount of photos of the product. To ensure that you’re buying the real deal, we recommend purchasing from a reputable source and heading to a legitimate Apple store where you can view the product and know it’s real.
Although you will be paying more for the real deal, it’s worth the extra spending when it means less risk for you and your phone.
