Fake Ipads!!? what are the tells?

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Level 1

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Fake Ipads!!? what are the tells?

Hello and i was just wondering there is this guy that is selling ipads and well he is selling it around $400 each and he says its original and unopen but i was wondering what are the tells that will tell me that the ipad is not a original ipad made my apple? i know about the firmware but is there other things i should be aware of? i want to know this that way if this guy is selling it so cheap then i can report him. Thank you and have a good day

Apple Ipad 3G

Posted on Oct 3, 2010 10:18 PM

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Answer 1

Oct 4, 2010 12:25 AM in response to Brfernan09

HI and welcome to Apple Discussions...

Never purchase an Apple product in this manner. You just be throwing $400 in the trash.

Not only that, you wouldn't have any warranty. You don't want to use a product that may have been stolen as the serial numbers could have been reported to local authorities.

Carolyn 🙂

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Answer 2

varjak paw

Level 10

170,200 points

Oct 4, 2010 7:33 AM in response to Brfernan09

Adding to what Carolyn said, if the product is a real iPad, it would be covered by warranty, though the warranty would date from when the iPad was originally sold rather than from when you were to purchase it. With a fake iPad, of course (and I haven't yet heard of any counterfeits, though there could well be some floating around now), no warranty would exist.

Theft, however, is indeed a strong possibility when the price is unusually low. Another possibility is that the iPad won't ever be shipped. I've seen numbers of such scams, usually identified by the seller insisting on money in advance, or in form not easily cancelled/recovered if the seller doesn't perform.

The bottom line: if it seems too good to be true, it probably is. The seller may be legitimate, but it's perhaps unlikely and it's difficult to be sure. If you decide to try it, do not, I repeat do not send any money in advance of shipment or in any form that would be hard to cancel. If the seller won't take a credit card, via PayPal or some such service if not directly, so you would have at least some recourse if the product never arrives or isn't a real, new iPad as advertised, run, do not walk, away from the deal.

As Carolyn advised, I'd stick to the authorized channels of sale. It's just not worth the risk unless you know the seller personally. If you want to save some money on an iPad, Apple sells refurbished units for about $50 (US) below normal price.

Regards.

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Answer 3

Brfernan09 Author

Level 1

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Oct 5, 2010 11:36 PM in response to Brfernan09

i understand the risk and all the red flags but im just wondering what are the tells, like do the fake one have something that the original doesn't? i mean how can someone tell by looking at it that its fake?because now with ebay i need to be sure.

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Answer 4

limsgp

Level 1

10 points

Oct 6, 2010 12:55 AM in response to Brfernan09

You can't tell by looking at the picture.. the seller can always attach picture of Real iPad if he intend to scam in the first place.

As for actually holding the device in hand.. If it's fake it would be very obvious as in the feel, the weight, the appearance, response, display or even the functions/operations etc.. will be very different

If a manufacturer can produce a similar quality product at much lower cost, well, no harm buying it then. However, if that manufacturer has such technology or capability, why would it risk it's reputation to imitate another product?

But if it is an inferior product, it would be very obvious as the manufacturer would focus on profit and costs and probably wouldn't bother to make the product appear "identical" to the real iPad. So it should be very easy to identify a fake.

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Answer 5

varjak paw

Level 10

170,200 points

Oct 6, 2010 7:42 AM in response to Brfernan09

Brfernan09 wrote:
i understand the risk and all the red flags but im just wondering what are the tells, like do the fake one have something that the original doesn't? i mean how can someone tell by looking at it that its fake?because now with ebay i need to be sure.

It's difficult to provide specifics As limsgp said, a seller on eBay can post anything they want, but there's no guarantee that what they post is what they'll ship, or even that they'll ship anything at all.

As for attempting to identify a fake iPad once you have it in hand, it would depend entirely on how much effort the counterfeiters put into their fake. Most won't be able to afford to exactly duplicate the iPad, even externally, so there would be noticeable differences in quality, marking etc.

Here are a couple of "knockoffs" that I've found:

http://www.redmondpie.com/ipad-clone-for-290-dollars-9140573/

This one's obvious; the real iPad does not have a clickwheel.

http://dvice.com/archives/2010/04/chinas-fake-ipa.php

Less obvious physically, but easy to spot once it's turned on, since the iPad doesn't run Windows 7.

All you can do is find a real iPad and look it over carefully so you can spot any differences with any unit you get from a private seller. But the best route is to buy only from a seller you know and trust.

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Answer 6

a brody

Level 10

82,925 points

Oct 6, 2010 12:52 PM in response to Brfernan09

If the place isn't listed on http://www.apple.com/buy/ and you can't reach them in person to see what's there, don't buy it. Never buy sight unseen.

Bring an iPod cable along and note where the ports are on the iPad.
See what comes up when you boot it.
See if the Preferences list everything you expect it to when you tab the icon on the screen.

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Answer 7

Brfernan09 Author

Level 1

0 points

Oct 6, 2010 9:04 PM in response to Brfernan09

Thank you very much you guys i think now i know what to look for and dont worry i will keep you guys updated on how my sale goes i will buy 1 from him and buy one from apple store and will compare it even video tape it and send you guys a link. if this is a fake then the guy can go to jail for fraud and i will send all the information of my investigation to apple and the appropriate authorities

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Answer 8

ClubUgly

Level 1

25 points

Oct 6, 2010 10:07 PM in response to Brfernan09

Stop asking silly questions like this and visit your local Apple store and put your hands on one. Buy it from the Apple store to put your doubts as ease. Why the heck would you buy one on the street for $400 w/no warranty or replacement especially if you have doubts of fake or real when you can purchase from any Apple store spanking new w/warranty and replacement for $499? At this point there would be no concerns about fake or doubts would there?

Heck you even posted your question here at the Apple site which makes it even a stranger question. The only way I can even see the question plausible is if you are involved in one of those James Bond type of scenario's where someone invaded your secret hideout and swapped your device for a fake one in order to gain access to highly confidential intel lol. Sorry to say but don't be so daft 😉

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Answer 9

a brody

Level 10

82,925 points

Oct 11, 2010 5:10 PM in response to Brfernan09

will compare it even video tape it and send you guys a link. if this is a fake then the guy can go to jail for fraud and i will send all the information of my investigation to apple and the appropriate authorities

Who is "you guys"? There is nothing "we" Kemo Sabe can do about it. If you find it is a fake, report it to the local authorities in his jurisdiction, Better Business Bureau, Federal Trade Commission equivalent in his jurisdiction, as well as http://www.apple.com/legal/
We are only end users here. Furthermore, we end users might come across the page not understanding your link is to a fake iPad, and might be crazy enough to purchase it. Remember, not everyone here has the same grasp of English. As Terms of Use prohibit posting anything which might be illegal, posting a link to that potentially fraudulent iPad might be contributing to that person's crime if it is fraudulent. Instead let the appropriate authorities know.

Thank you.

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Answer 10

a brody

Level 10

82,925 points

Oct 11, 2010 5:12 PM in response to Brfernan09

Also if I were you, protect your purchase so it doesn't have any identifying marks they could steal your identity with. Don't use a credit card used on autobilling. Do not write a check. Only deal with in person purchases. If in doubt, don't get it.

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Answer 11

KurtStu

Level 2

150 points

Oct 11, 2010 7:02 PM in response to Brfernan09

Pardon me for sounding skeptical, and if I'm wrong, I apologize, but one has to wonder after you've been given so much info and yet you still question the answers, if you are the one trying to scam people and looking for the right responses.

If I'm wrong and you are looking for a good deal, then your question has been answered, if it looks to good to be true, then it probably is. If. Your looking for responses to give people when they ask about your product, then you need to move on.

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Answer 12

Dec 23, 2013 9:22 AM in response to Brfernan09

There is actually something that can be wrong with it even if it isn't fake. Any iPad running iOS 7 can be locked with the original owner's Apple ID using activation lock. If that is the case, it would need the original owner's ID and password to unlock it. Not even Apple can remove it otherwise.

I do agree with the previous posters that no device should be purchased without being seen in person. It could be fake, locked with activation lock, stolen, damaged, or any number of nasty things. There is no way to know for sure without seeing it in person.

Buying a new one from an authorized retailer ensures that you don't have to worry about any of this. It also allows you to purchase AppleCare+ for the shatter or liquid damage repairs if you want. Having an authorized seller makes returns easier if needed too.

As a last resort, see if the seller will give you the serial number or IMEI for the device. That would let you confirm with Apple if it is a valid device. If it is, they will be able to see it in their computers even if they can't give you any further information on the original owners. You could also ask the seller to send you a picture of the device with an item that you specified in the background. That method is less reliable, but I have seen it done before by someone asking for car photos with different types of bread on them to prove ownership. All that does is show that the device's photo is not from a stock photo site though.

Good luck!

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Answer 13

Dec 14, 2015 5:52 AM in response to a brody

If you can turn it on and it is a real apple product, go into settings and into the iCloud category. If there's already an iCloud account logged in, demand that it be logged out immediately. If the seller refuses, says it doesn't matter, tells you Apple can do it for you or that you can just format the device over, REFUSE TO PURCHASE IT. It's probably stolen and WILL NOT WORK once you reformat it unless you can provide the legitimate password of the already logged in account, and Apple WILL NOT BE ABLE to remove that for you.

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