How many times have you realized with dismay that you need a new charger for your Apple device? I for one, have replaced my charger more times than I care to remember. It’s obvious; Apple is ever so popular for its easily damaged wires. And it doesn’t help that you need to dish out a fortune to get a new original Apple charger.
That’s why the market is flooding with fake and cheap chargers. They’re easy to find and, frankly, more affordable.
But there’s a problem with that.
According to the Chartered Trading Standards Institute, about 99% of all fake Apple chargers don’t qualify basic safety tests. What’s more, they have also warned consumers that using a fake charger is risky to both the consumer and those people around them.
Unknown entity.
The agency also claims that these fake chargers come from unknown entities. They say consumers will have no idea whatsoever whether the manufacturers of these fake charging devices have tested them to ensure maximum safety measures.
Just in time.
In recent times, Apple has warned its customers against using fake charging devices. And so the agency’s warning comes just in time with the same warning as Apple itself. In early 2016, Apple updated its support website trying to educate customers on how to differentiate fake chargers from the real ones.
And to make things worse, the Trading Standards agency revealed that only three of the 400 chargers that they tested would actually protect the consumer from electric shocks. The agency’s testing agents purchased these devices from various countries like the US, China, and Australia. Their testing system included applying high voltage levels to these fake devices trying to test if they have standard insulation. And the conclusion? Most of the fake Apple charging devices are just dangerous.
Stay safe.
What’s the solution, you may ask. It’s easy. Stick to the original Apple products. They may be a little pricey in comparison to the affordable ones, but you can’t out a price on safety. So the next time a friend casually mentions that they’ve bought a fake Apple charging device, let them know: It’s better to pay a few of extra bucks if the assurance is safety for your life.
