Experts have issued an urgent warning to iPhone users after finding dangerous fake charging adaptors littering the market.
The team at Electrical Safety First say criminals are getting more creative with their dodgy knockoffs, which are being sold online and on the high street.
They found that counterfeits resembling Apple’s official 20W USB-C power adapter contain metal weights to make them heavier – closer to the weight of the real thing.
Without weights, counterfeit charging adapters are lighter due to cheap and poor quality components fitted inside to cut costs, according to the experts.
But these weights compromise the safety of the product, risking electric shock for the unwitting buyer who may not know the difference.
In some cases, it is not uncommon to find internal components to be missing entirely from counterfeits, which are often sold at a lower price, tricking shoppers into thinking they’ve ‘bagged a bargain’.
‘Criminals are working harder than ever to deceive consumers, with no regard for their safety in the process,’ said Luke Osborne, deputy technical director at Electrical Safety First.
‘As criminal operations producing counterfeits get smarter, the chances of shoppers falling foul to a dangerous counterfeit product grow.’
Research from Electrical Safety First and Apple reveals counterfeiters are using new tactics to trick consumers into buying their dodgy knock-offs. Pictured, plug pins on counterfeits that snapped during a routine strength test
These two images are X-rays of an official Apple power adaptor (left) and a counterfeit power adaptor (right)
Apple offers an advice page to tell an official power adapter from a fake one, in an effort to prevent electrocutions and explosions due to dodgy devices.
Last year, a Massachusetts teen was set on fire after her iPhone blew up while connected to a portable charger she purchased on Amazon, while a similar case in 2023 devastated a Worcestershire home.
Meanwhile, a £8 charger bought at The Phone Shop in Huddersfield exploded back in 2014 – with parts of it hit the basket where a five-week-old baby was sleeping.
The year before, a 23-year-old Chinese air stewardess was killed by an electric shock in July when she answered a call on her iPhone 5 while it was recharging – blamed on an imitation charger.
Similarly, a Cheshire father told how his daughter’s iPad charger exploded in his hand giving him a massive electric shock and blackened fingers.
However, even legitimate chargers are known to have burst into flames when they’ve been left plugged into the mains.
Working in partnership with Apple, Electrical Safety First experts analysed 116 UK and EU chargers intending to resemble Apple’s official 20W adaptor, which costs £19.
They were obtained from a variety of sources, including independent online retailers, major online marketplaces that are popular with consumers, and discount high street retailers, in both the UK and mainland Europe, the team said.
Last year, a Massachusetts teen was set on fire after her iPhone blew up while connected to a portable charger she purchased on Amazon
Pictured is the scene of devastation in a Worcestershire home following a serious fire which was sparked by a cheap iPhone charger from Amazon in 2023
Metal weights found inserted into counterfeits to make them appear heavier. Without them, counterfeit charging adapters are lighter due to cheap and poor quality components fitted inside to cut costs
It’s unclear where exactly they were from; MailOnline has contacted the researchers regarding the identify of the suppliers.
For their analysis, published on their website, the chargers were split into two sub-categories – ‘counterfeit’ and ‘look-alike’.
‘Counterfeit’ were those marked with Apple’s trademarks intended to deceive customers, falsely sold as genuine Apple adapters.
Meanwhile, ‘look-alike’ adapters are not falsely marked with Apple’s trademarks but copy the design of a genuine Apple charger.
The team determined the strength of the plug pins to see if they could withstand stresses of normal use, such as by pulling in and out the socket.
Concerningly, of the 56 UK counterfeit and look-alikes tested, 71 per cent failed this strength test, either by snapping or becoming distorted.
In a daily setting, this could result in the plug pin becoming lodged in a socket outlet, seriously exposing the user to electric shock.
‘Often with counterfeits and substandard lookalikes the dangers are entirely hidden within the plastic mould of the adapter, so consumers are none the wiser as to how little care has been given to manufacturing the device,’ said Osborne.
‘Designed by Appie in California’: Spelling errors packaging is a clear indicator that a device is a cheap and potentially dangerous imitator
These weights significantly increase the risk of electric shock by compromising the internal safety barrier, meaning the user risks coming into contact with a harmful level of electricity
The real thing: Apple’s 20W adapter (pictured), which costs £19 sans cable, ‘offers fast, efficient charging’
‘It is not uncommon for substandard or fake devices to be used unknowingly by consumers until they either stop working or worse, cause an incident such as an electric shock or fire.’
In a genuine adapter, internal insulation ensures someone charging their device is not exposed to a mains supply level of voltage that could give them a serious electric shock.
But according to Electrical Safety First, 107 of the 116 chargers (92 per cent) failed this critical safety requirement, risking electric shock.
Twenty-two of the adaptors were also internally examined, of which 15 (68 per cent) were found to include metal weights inside – a new tactic not previously seen by Electrical Safety First before.
Spotting a bogus charger can be tricky, but researchers say the imitations also feature a number of telltale signs to look out for.
For example, counterfeits and lookalikes have ill-defined logos and often subtle spelling mistakes such as ‘Appie’ instead of Apple.
In comparison, genuine Apple adapters have a solid Apple logo, well-defined wording and clean, legible markings.
On counterfeit adapters, the finish is usually glossy or shiny with surface imperfections – which can be particularly hard to see if buying online.
Meanwhile, the finish on the plug pins on a genuine Apple charger is high quality, matt (dull and flat, without a shine) and uniform.
A counterfeit Apple iPhone charger at the City of London Police’s counterfeit electricals campaign at Wood Street Police Station, London, 2018
If consumers are buying online, they should remember that sellers of legitimate branded goods don’t need to over emphasize that the product is genuine.
Online listings that overstate the authenticity of a product should be approached with caution, Electrical Safety said.
Ultimately, consumers should be especially wary of where they’re buying it from – and always aim for an official Apple Store, an Apple Authorized Reseller or a well-known high street retailer.
‘If you’re looking to bag an electronic bargain it has never been more important to stick to a reputable retailer or manufacturer in order to shield yourself and your loved ones from fakes that could risk your safety,’ Osborne said.
