How to Spot a Fake iPhone

You’ve probably seen a fake iPhone without even knowing it was a fake. At a glance these knockoff devices look just like the real thing, until you actually try using one.

These fake iPhones are so convincing that unsuspecting and uninformed consumers think they are getting the real thing at a bargain price when in fact they are forking over money for an inferior product that looks like an iPhone cosmetically but has none of the actual features that make the iPhone such a fantastic device such as the ability to connect or sync to iTunes, download or run apps and games or purchase music and videos from the iTunes store.

I realize that these knockoffs fill a niche in the market and that’s fine as long as people are fully aware of what they are buying and not getting duped into purchasing something that they are purposely led to believe is the real thing. That is false advertising and its illegal. If you’ve purchased a knockoff on eBay or any other internet site that claimed it was an original product then you should inform the site immediately in order to get these unscrupulous sellers banned and hopefully get your money back.

Always check for the official Apple name and logo on the back cover and on the packaging. Most knockoffs will not have these logos displayed for fear of copyright infringement or having their goods seized by customs or other authorities.

If possible, carry a laptop or netbook with you if you are purchasing from a brick and mortar store. Make sure you have iTunes installed on your laptop and ask the salesperson to allow you to connect the phone to your laptop. If iTunes does not recognize the phone, it’s a fake.

If you are purchasing online ask the seller outright if the phone is a fake. Once they realize that they are dealing with an informed customer they will usually admit that the phone is a knockoff.

Another trick used by manufacturers of these knockoffs is giving the products names and logos that are similar to the original. In some cases so similar that it’s hard to distinguish between the original and the knockoff even in a side by side comparison.The following are perfect examples: