How to Avoid Buying Fake AirPods

AirPods are awesome, trendy and expensive. If you have an opportunity to buy these popular earphones at a discount, especially a deep discount, you will obviously be interested. However, this enthusiasm is fueling the fake AirPods market as much as Apple contain an AirPods verification exam in iOS 16. So how can you protect yourself from being ripped off by a counterfeit Apple product??

I’m not talking about legitimate competitor wireless earphonesthere is many excellent (and not so excellent) options. I am We focus on products that look and feel like real Apple AirPods, but which ones are easy Not: They are fakes, fakeswhatever you want to call them fooled you into thinking You are buying the real deal at an exceptional price.

Maintain a healthy skepticism

HAre you looking for the best possible AirPods deal is certainly a good strategy. But if you see a price This is just too good to be true, it could be. You don’t have to worry too much if you’re buying from a store like Amazon – but if you’re buying from a third party, double check Sellers to make sure they are legit-You should also not worry about buying from a major retailer like Best Buy or Walmart.

But if you see one Great occupy Use Facebook Marketplace, eBay or Craigslist Caution. Don’t buy a fake AirPods are the only guaranteed way to avoid a scam. Rreal AirPods are being sold in these markets all the time and finding one good business isnot impossible. But just to be sure Here are some things to look out for.

Take a good look at the box

Fake packaging can be a sure sign, so check carefully. Of course, this is easier in person, but you can also ask for close-ups. Apple, like other tech companies, takes great pride in its presentation. A legitimate AirPods box doesn’t have spelling or grammar issues, nor imperfections like pixelated or distorted images.

Make sure what’s in the box is meant to be there

Again, Apple’s packaging is consistent. Each product will have the same exact packaging from box to box with no variations. Check out the AirPods model that interests you on Apple’s website and see what’s supposed to be included. For example, AirPods 3 AirPods, a MagSafe charging case, a Lighting to USB-C cable and some Documentation. When something is off—the lightning cable is USB-A instead of USB-C, shall we say—You know you have a fake.

Check the serial number

If you have access to the device, you can use the serial number to quickly test whether it is fake or not. For AirPods or AirPods Pro, you can find the serial number under the lid of the charging case. On AirPods Max, it’s under the left ear pad.

Of course, a scammer could get creative and print a legitimate serial number on the packaging to fool anyone attempting this method. To really make sure you’re seeing the serial number tied to the AirPods themselvesyou need to pair them first and then go settings. On iOS 16, tap your AirPods listed at the top of the page. On iOS 15 and earlier, go to General > About. Select your AirPods, then check the serial number.

Once you have the serial number, enter it Apple’s official check coverage page. If the AirPods are genuine, you can check the status of the cover this way. However, if the serial number is invalid, you cannot continue.

Try setting them up (especially with iOS 16)

Apple has an excellent system for setting up AirPods for the first time. All you have to do is open the charging case next to your iPhone and a pop-up window will appear to guide you through the process.

fake AirPods have a hard time replicating this simple setup experience. If these AirPods ask you to pair via the Bluetooth settings menu, especially If they ask to pair AirPods one by one, they are fake. Apple never pairs AirPods individually.

However, some scammers have cracked the code and are now tricking iOS into prompting the AirPods setup experience. With iOS 16, apple is Fight back: If you’re trying to set up a fake pair of AirPods with an iPhone running the new operating systemyou’ll see a new pop-up that it says “AirPods can’t be verified. These headphones could not be verified as real AirPods and may not behave as expected.” You can then choose not to connect them or set them up anyway in the Bluetooth settings.

Compare and contrast

Look up the specs for the AirPods you bought like the ones for the AirPods 3, and compare them to the AirPods you have. Do the dimensions seem to match Apple’s? Is the charging case the right size? Does it have a Lightning port instead of USB-C? Does wireless charging work, if applicable, and if applicable, MagSafe?

The same goes for the unique features attributed to each AirPods model. By default, when you take an AirPod out of your ear, music should stop playing. A long press on the stick of an AirPods Pro will invoke Siri. Pressing the stick twice skips a title. These are all features that can be customized later, but by default they should be there and work as expected.

[MUO]