Likely fake Airpods Pro 2?

Hi. So last week my 4 years-old "regular" Airpods 2 started having battery issues. I was hesitating to replace them with either Airpods 4 with ANC or Airpods Pro 2. I looked at discounted Airpods Pro 2 and purchased some for €120 which seemed very cheap to me. I received them quickly but the box they came in seemed sketchy and I think it's fake. But the Airpods inside looked new and genuine but a few things make me suspect they're fake:

-The price which is less than half the retail price for new Airpods Pro.

-The listing was in the "used" category but the description said they were new.

-The hinge on the case seems flimsy.

-The firmware won't update despite having tried every method (I had the same problem with the Airpods they replace despite them being genuine and they ended up updating on their own).

-They won't "automagically" connect to another Apple device when needed.

On the other hand, they do look genuine and do have a serial number recognized by Apple's checkcoverage page. I have the animation on my iPhone and they show up on Find My. Finally, spatial audio seems to work like on real ones.

What do you guys think? Are they real but buggy or did I buy really good fake ones?

Thanks in advance.

AirPods Pro (2nd generation)

Posted on Oct 13, 2024 8:33 AM

Top-ranking reply

Mac Jim ID

Level 7

26,063 points

Posted on Oct 13, 2024 9:08 AM

Yes if they were not purchased at Apple or Authorized Apple seller, they are likely fake. The accessory market for Apple products is huge and they copy the serial number of actual devices the same way they copy the physical appearance. The animation in Find My works because to Apple servers they match the original serial number of the device even though they may be using inferior components. You may find:

Poor Sound Quality
ANC may not work or works very poorly
Problems with connectivity
Poor range
If you do need a repair, you may get it denied

As for filing a complaint about any fraudulent purchase, US customers are giving these options:

File a complaint with your local consumer protection office.
Notify the Better Business Bureau (BBB) in your area about your problem. The BBB tries to resolve complaints against companies.
If you think you may have experienced a scam, report it to the FTC. They may not resolve your problem, but they use complaints to help them investigate fraud.
Contact econsumer.gov if you are complaining about items you bought online from a seller outside the U.S.

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16 replies

moisemust Author

Level 1

4 points

Oct 13, 2024 10:01 AM in response to Zachyy

Thanks, I’ll go to an Apple Store next weekend and keep you updated. But I think if they were genuine I wouldn’t ask you for advice.

Likely fake Airpods Pro 2?