London Fire Brigade has warned users not to buy fake iPhone chargers as it could potentially put user’s lives at risk.
The fire investigation experts tested the counterfeit iPhone chargers available online and offline and reported that on an average real iPhone charger have 60 individual parts and the fake ones might not have even half of the real parts, making it more prone to heating and causing electrical shock.
Fire investigator Andrew Vaughan-Davies said: "There have been some near misses in the last few months and, unless people stop buying them, it’s only a matter of time before we are called to a fatal fire."
"Genuine chargers may cost more and you may think you are only paying for the brand name, but you’re actually buying peace of mind because you know the charger is going to be of better quality and specifically designed for your phone."
"For the sake of saving a few pounds is it worth putting the lives of your family at risk and taking the chance of potentially destroying your home?"
The fire brigade also suggested tips to differentiate the fake iPhone charger, which includes the weight of the counterfeit charger which is usually less than the real iPhone charger which weighs over 40 grams.
The plug pins in real charger have matt and uniform finish but the fake ones usually have a glossy finish with irregularly angular pins. The USB sockets on the fake charger are usually positioned upside down and the printed text on it was also found to be darker in shade.
The fire department has asked users to buy iPhone chargers only from reputed retailers to avoid any sort of accidents.
