99% of fake Apple chargers fail a basic safety test, new study says
Raymus Munt/YouTube
Your latest reminder of this comes from the Chartered Trading Standards Institute, a UK consumer protection organization that teamed up with Illinois-based safety testers UL to examine 400 "counterfeit Apple chargers" from various suppliers.
According to the study, all but three of the 400 counterfeit chargers failed a "basic" safety test, in which high voltages were applied to the chargers to see if they had enough isolation to protect against electric shocks.
The study comes just a few weeks after Apple reportedly conducted its own study on third-party power accessories, and found that roughly 90% of Apple chargers and cables sold through Amazon were unsafe. CNET and Bloomberg recently reported that Amazon is trying to take more concrete steps to prevent the sale of those knockoff devices.
The simplest thing you can do, though, is to simply buy from a big name. Here's a crude, but generally effective tip: If you don't know them, they don't own a website that looks professional, and you can't find any stories about them on Google, stay away.
Getting chargers and cables directly from Apple is the easiest thing to do. Especially on the cable side, if you don't want to pay the premium Apple often slaps on, look for accessories with Apple's MFi (Made for iPhone/iPad/iPod) certification on its packaging.
Apple
Anecdotally, I've used chargers from Anker, Monoprice, and AmazonBasics for years without any issues. There are others, but the point is that, while it's possible to get a reliable, speedy Apple charger without paying as much as Apple charges, you shouldn't cheap out - especially since this is a safety concern, for both you and the products you're charging.
"Sadly, we suspect our work is just skimming the surface and we urge consumers to be vigilant when buying electrical products online: be wary of deals that look too good to be true and search for reviews of the seller before making your purchase," said Lord Toby Harris, chair of the UK's National Trading Standards, in a statement.
- A couple accidentally shipped their cat in an Amazon return package. It arrived safely 6 days later, hundreds of miles away.
- A centenarian who starts her day with gentle exercise and loves walks shares 5 longevity tips, including staying single
- 2 states where home prices are falling because there are too many houses and not enough buyers
- "To sit and talk in the box...!" Kohli's message to critics as RCB wrecks GT in IPL Match 45
- 7 Nutritious and flavourful tiffin ideas to pack for school
- India's e-commerce market set to skyrocket as the country's digital economy surges to USD 1 Trillion by 2030
- Top 5 places to visit near Rishikesh
- Indian economy remains in bright spot: Ministry of Finance