A recent study by a UK consumer protection body has determined that a staggering 99% of all third-party Apple iPhone 7, iPhone 6 and iPhone 5 chargers sold online are fake and pose a huge threat to human lives.
According to the BBC, the Chartered Trading Standards Institute bought and tested up to 400 Apple chargers from eight different countries, including the U.S. Devastatingly, it was found that only three of these chargers were fit enough to be used on Apple devices. The three passed the tests, meaning that they had sufficient insulation that is needed to protect users of the chargers against electric shocks.
This is a huge problem for many iPhone 7 and iPhone 6 users out there – devices that are actually the most used in Apple’s smartphone repository. But the CTSI recommends that buyers of these Apple accessories should get them from trusted sellers who have established reputations. Furthermore, the body urges consumers to ensure that the products they buy are tested to meet the needed industry standards.
Of course, most Apple iPhone 7, iPhone 6 or iPhone 5 owners who end up buying cheap Apple accessories from third party retailers are usually after saving a few coins, but the consumer protection body says that these few savings could cost you your life, life of a loved one or even your entire home.
While the CTSI recommends buying Apple chargers from reputable sellers, a recent discovery by Apple put Amazon at fault when it was found that the giant retailer was selling fake Apple accessories branded as “genuine.” According to Cupertino, more than 90% of the chargers bought on Amazon did not meet its own standards, but Amazon was quick to distance itself from the matter, instead blaming the supplier of the products, Mobile Star LLC. Apple has since pursued the case as it seeks for the law to take its course on the matter of trademark infringement.