Getting fooled on the internet is much easier than many would like to admit. According to Pew Research, around a quarter of polled respondents admitted that they had, either accidentally or intentionally, shared a fake news story within the past year.
And "26% of American consumers have accidentally bought at least one counterfeit product in the past year," per a study from digital brand protection software firm Incopro cited by RetailDive.
Sometimes, something one sees on the internet claims to be one thing while actually being another. Other times, it's a complete fraud, as one woman recently noted of her mom's Temu purchase.
A recent series of images posted by TikTok user Vale (@justbylee) is a prime example of the former. And it serves as yet another reason why one must be careful when shopping on the internet.
In a slideshow with over 709,000 views, Vale writes, "A nice lady came so excited to set up her 'brand new iphone 15 pro max' how do I tell her? piz help." It appears Vale is in a T-Mobile store in the photos and is a T-Mobile store worker.
In the next image, Vale reveals the box for the phone. It is not the box that a new iPhone should come in. The side of the box is also labeled "i15 PRO MAX."
Upon turning on the phone, the screen looks very similar to an iPhone. However, there are a few clear signs that show it's not a genuine Apple product.
For example, the bezel on the bottom of the phone is thicker than any of Apple's full touchscreen devices currently on the market. Additionally, the App Store is labeled "Play Store." That's a sign this is an Android device with a theme applied to it to make it appear as though it's running iOS.
The final image shows the back of the phone, which is missing the Apple logo.
Fake iPhones are available across the internet. Some of these devices are so close to the real thing that, if recent events are any indication, even Apple themselves can have trouble distinguishing between them.
As reported by Ars Technica, it was recently revealed that Apple lost $2.5 million to scammers after it submitted counterfeit phones to the company for repair, then received new, genuine ones.
While these counterfeits may have been composed of genuine Apple parts, some Android clones, such as the one shown in the video, can appear pretty close to the real thing. If one is worried whether their new phone is genuine, there are a few things they can do to ensure they have the real thing.
Per India Today, first, one should examine the packaging, accessories, and build quality, as Apple's quality control is high. Mismatched accessories, poor quality, or misaligned buttons or logos may signal a fake.
Next, one can verify the serial number and IMEI in the device settings and Apple's Check Coverage page. If the phone is genuine, the specifics of the phone will match Apple's records.
After that, one can check if the phone runs iOS and features Siri, as fake models often use modified Android software.
Finally, if one is still not sure, they can simply visit an authorized Apple service center for expert verification.
In the comments section, many users claimed that they had friends, relatives, or coworkers who fell for similar scams.
"This happened to me once at a job a long time ago," recalled a user. "A guy wouldn't believe me when I told him he didn't have a real iPod and none of the accessories we had would fit or work with his device."
"My dad was so excited that he bought me 'AirPods,'" said another. "It was fake...I lied and bought myself a pair."
"My grandma came up to me for this but for a watch she thought was apple," stated a third. "She got it from temu."
"This is why my parents don't purchase electronics without me," joked a further TikToker
The Daily Dot reached out to Vale via TikTok comment, Instagram direct message, and email. We also reached out to T-Mobile and Apple via email.