The inception of Apple’s AirPods has given massive opportunity to others to peddle millions of dollars’ worth of fake merchandise. While the company has specific countermeasures in place to prevent the sale of unauthentic products, factories that churn out hundreds of fake AirPods continue to be discovered. In the latest report, a police team in China busted a massive syndicate, which included nine counterfeit dens and thousands of unpackaged units.
With three production lines, around 69,000 fake AirPods were being produced, with these wireless earbuds bringing in $23.5 million
The entire amount of fake AirPods was estimated at 167 million yuan, or approximately $23.5 million, which was divided into three production lines of the factory, nine counterfeit dens, and six sales dens, according to GizmoChina. The police seized around 114,000 fake AirPods, of which 69,000 were ready to ship, while more than 45,000 were unfinished. There were also four sets of counterfeiting tools, more than 50,000 sets of packaging materials, and more than 10,000 sets of spare parts, all of which were confiscated in the raid.
A massive operation like this would have an extended sales network, with the authorities stating that these fake AirPods were shipped to more than 10 provinces and cities across China, including Guangdong, Shandong, Sichuan, and Hainan. There is also a possibility that these knock-offs might have shipped overseas, but there is no way of confirming this. It is estimated that Apple lost around more than $3 billion in 2021 due to counterfeit sales. One of the biggest red flags when purchasing AirPods unofficially is the quality of the packaging and overall feel of the wireless charging case.
Another precaution that consumers should follow is cross-checking the serial number of the AirPods on Apple’s website. Third, and this is perhaps the most important, you should always purchase from authorized retail networks, regardless of whether they are online or offline channels. Also, if you are being sold a pair of Apple earbuds that are cheaper than the official retail price, you are likely getting sold a fake, so be highly diligent about your purchase next time.