Just wanted to share a recent experience I had with counterfeit (not knock-off) AirPods so that hopefully others do not fall prey to this scam as well.
I received what at first glance appeared to be AirPods Pro 2nd Gen as a Christmas gift. The first sign that something was off was that they came shrink-wrapped. I do not believe Apple shrink-wraps any products anymore. I naively assumed that this was done by the retailer (perhaps Walmart or Best Buy or Amazon or Target does this...) Still, I had my suspicions so I entered the serial # on the box to Apple's warranty checker, which showed they were purchased in March 2023 and that the warranty will expire in March of 2024. Plugging this serial number into Google Advanced Search, I found fake AirPods Pro with this exact S/N (M3QLTQP3HC) as far away as Toronto, and in Spain and Germany on various marketplaces, but only found out after I confirmed they were fake.
Since I already had a pair to compare to, it was easy to compare the differences once inside the package. The font on the "Designed by Apple in California" was quite different, although the literature inside the packet was quite similar to the genuine Apple product. Another difference was the wrapping on the genuine Apple ones inside the box, I believe is a rice paper material. The fake ones had a thin matte plastic wrapping similar to the rice paper that Apple uses. The real tell was when I turned them on to pair with my iPhone. The standard setup dialog did not display. The case feels cheap compared to the real one, and the chimes it makes are different. There does not appear to be a wireless charging coil present.
The sound quality of the fakes is awful compared to the real ones, and the device shows up as having model number A3000, which does not appear to exist. The tray inside of the box is plastic while Apple uses a paper-based one, and the ear tips have a different rubber.
Watch out for these on places like Craigslist, FB Marketplace, and some eBay listings! I hope this cautionary tale helps.
I received what at first glance appeared to be AirPods Pro 2nd Gen as a Christmas gift. The first sign that something was off was that they came shrink-wrapped. I do not believe Apple shrink-wraps any products anymore. I naively assumed that this was done by the retailer (perhaps Walmart or Best Buy or Amazon or Target does this...) Still, I had my suspicions so I entered the serial # on the box to Apple's warranty checker, which showed they were purchased in March 2023 and that the warranty will expire in March of 2024. Plugging this serial number into Google Advanced Search, I found fake AirPods Pro with this exact S/N (M3QLTQP3HC) as far away as Toronto, and in Spain and Germany on various marketplaces, but only found out after I confirmed they were fake.
Since I already had a pair to compare to, it was easy to compare the differences once inside the package. The font on the "Designed by Apple in California" was quite different, although the literature inside the packet was quite similar to the genuine Apple product. Another difference was the wrapping on the genuine Apple ones inside the box, I believe is a rice paper material. The fake ones had a thin matte plastic wrapping similar to the rice paper that Apple uses. The real tell was when I turned them on to pair with my iPhone. The standard setup dialog did not display. The case feels cheap compared to the real one, and the chimes it makes are different. There does not appear to be a wireless charging coil present.
The sound quality of the fakes is awful compared to the real ones, and the device shows up as having model number A3000, which does not appear to exist. The tray inside of the box is plastic while Apple uses a paper-based one, and the ear tips have a different rubber.
Watch out for these on places like Craigslist, FB Marketplace, and some eBay listings! I hope this cautionary tale helps.
replaced that free of charge, via shipping.