2 Borrow a Friend’s Product and Compare

It may sound odd at first, but hear us out: Counterfeit products are typically made with cheaper materials – otherwise, it would be difficult to sell them at a profit, which would ruin the point. Plus, cheap materials are easier to get and work with. However, they also create a low-quality product, which is the reason that many Apple counterfeits fail or don’t work as well as they should.

It also makes counterfeits lighter. Hold a counterfeit in one hand and the Apple model in the other, and the Apple model will usually feel heavier, more solid. So if you can borrow the same model from a friend or use an old model of your own that you are trying to replace (ideally in the same generation), you can do a quick weight test to see if something seems funny. It’s a fast test, but works best with adapters and other heavier accessories.