Another Fake iPhone 16 Plus Is Making Rounds: Here’s How to Spot It
It seems like fake iPhones are getting bolder and worse. I just got my hands on a “sealed” fake iPhone 16 Plus, and trust me, this one comes with a few surprises.
Let’s break down exactly what I found and how you can tell if you’re looking at a counterfeit iPhone.
The Packaging: Two Boxes and a Fake Apple Bag?
The moment I opened the package, things were off. First, there were two boxes. One of them was empty, and the other? Not much better. It came inside a bag pretending to be from Apple, but any real Apple fan would spot the difference instantly. It looked like a dollar-store knockoff, not something from Cupertino.
The Box: Not Fooling Anyone
This fake iPhone 16 Plus box tried to imitate the real thing but missed the mark:
The material feels cheaper. The box is plastic, not Apple’s signature sturdy cardboard.
The print quality is dull and off-color.
However, the IMEI numbers on the box do correspond to real Apple devices – a common tactic to make fakes seem legit.
Black Light Test
Want to know if an Apple box is real? Try shining a black light on the bottom of the box.
There should be an invisible QR code printed on genuine Apple packaging.
On this one? Nothing.
Inside the Box: A Dirty Surprise
The iPhone inside looked like it had been through a warzone – scratched, dirty, and just gross. Not something you’d expect from a “new” phone.
Still, it came with:
A charging cable
A SIM card ejector
The usual paperwork
But again, everything felt cheap and off-brand.
Booting It Up: Fake iOS, Real Deception
After peeling off the film and powering it on (barely – it almost didn’t work), the phone booted to a screen that looked like iOS. It even had camera control functionality, and the settings were set up to look like a real iPhone.
But here's the catch:
These phones are actually running Android skinned to look like iOS.
And if that wasn’t weird enough – the Photos app already had images in it. Why? Who knows. But it’s sketchy.
Final Verdict: Don’t Ever Buy a Sealed iPhone from an Unverified Seller
This fake iPhone 16 Plus had just enough surface-level polish to fool someone unfamiliar with real Apple hardware. From a distance, it might pass. But up close, it’s a joke.
Bottom Line:
If the deal seems too good to be true, it probably is.
Always buy from trusted sources, and when in doubt, have it checked out or reach out to me, your Phone Repair Guru.
Stay sharp out there!