Author:
Lewis Jackson
Date Of Creation:
9 May 2021
Update Date:
1 July 2024
Content
Beats is a premium brand of high-end headphones with a price that is not cheap. Because of its reputation, brand awareness and price, Beats often faces the problem of counterfeiting to deceive consumers. To identify fake (or fake) Beats headphones, you can start looking from the outside packaging. Observe the printing ink, trademark and the quality of plastic wrap. After opening the box, check the inside of the device's right ear for the serial number. Look up online to see if this serial number is valid or in use. To avoid being cheated, buy expensive electronics only from a licensed retailer and remember: if a transaction seems too good to be true for a genuine product, then it's not true.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Check the packaging
Look in the box to see whether the font is clear or fuzzy. Often, we can determine whether the Beats headphones are real or fake just by observing carefully the word on the box. Real Beats has a strong contrast between the text on the box and the minimalistic color background. If the text is a bit smudged, fuzzy, or looks like it was printed on paper and pasted on it, you're probably holding a box of counterfeit Beats.- Every model and version of Beats has slightly different packaging. This can make it difficult to distinguish counterfeit goods.
Check out the big "Studio" or "Solo" and the commercial label on the bottom right. Beats Studio and Solo series headphones are two high-end models that are often counterfeited. Both types of headphones have model names printed in large letters on the side and back of the box. If the word Studio or Solo is printed on the back with no commercial markings on the lower right, this is probably a fake.- The simple trade mark is the letter TM printed in a smaller font.
- Some versions of the headset do not have the TM symbol on the front or back, but will be included in the manual that comes with the headset.
Tips: The EP series of headphones are not trademarked, so they do not have any trademarks. However, this line of headphones is in the cheap segment, so they are rarely counterfeited.
Compare the pictures of the headphones on the box with those on the original packaging. If the packaging is fake, it's more likely that the image outside the box had been digitally edited. To resemble the genuine product, it is possible that the counterfeiting unit has replaced the picture of the headset on the box. Let's see if the picture on this box is the same as the headphones on the official Beats website. In particular, you need to compare the bright spots on the official packaging with the images on the outside of the suspicious box. If the image looks a bit hollow, the packaging has been edited and it is almost certainly a counterfeit.
- On the Studio and Solo boxes, the reflective highlights are above both earphones.
Check if the plastic sealing pad covers the box. The Beats headphone box must be firmly sealed in a plastic wrap. If the plastic is not tight, it may be a fake. If you're looking at the new in-box headphones then don't be easy to overlook if the plastic wrap is lost, partially torn or damaged.
- It is difficult to seal the fake headphones in plastic wrap from the real Beats box. This is because most forging units do not have the machinery needed to properly seal the plastic wrap.
Observe whether the seam on the container is light or thin. Take out the case and unlock the zipper. Open the box and look for the unzipped section, where the two halves of the box fold together. If the gasket inside the fold looks exactly like the rest of the box liner, it's likely it's the real one. If the fabric is light in color or thinner than the rest of the box, the headphones may be fake.
- This is especially common for fake headphones. Many counterfeit manufacturers focus on making headphones look like genuine products without forgetting details like carrying cases.
- Counterfeiters will usually glue or sew two box covers together to complete the box. This makes the folds of the counterfeit box look different from the original box.
- With real headphones, the pad on the fold will look exactly like the rest inside the box.
Method 2 of 3: Check the serial number and software
A simple test is to find out which serial number is printed on the earphone. With the headset in hand, observe the cover surrounding each earbud. You will see that the letters "L" and "R" represent which ear to the left (left) and which ear to the right (right). Pull out the headset to extend and make the headband higher. Look inside the exposed plastic from the headband expansion to find the serial number. If the number row is on the left earphone, this is definitely fake.
- Beats never prints the serial number on the left earbud. However, just relying on the number on the right does not mean that the headset is real.
- If the serial number is on the right, try to register if the number is valid.
Register Beats online to see if the serial number is valid. Go to https://www.beatsbydre.com/register and wait for the registration screen to pop up. Enter the serial number printed to the right of the headset and click "verify my serial number". If the screen says “We’re Sorry” then your serial number is invalid. This could be a sign that you bought the wrong thing by mistake.
- If you buy a used headset, it's likely that the serial number has been verified. The seller can still show you their verification or online profile that proves it is genuine.
Plug the headphones into your computer while visiting the upgrade page to launch the test. Visit the Beats upgrade page, where headphone owners can update the driver and fix the security issue. The website will install the update via computer by plugging a USB cable into any port and connecting a headset. If this is counterfeit, an error message will appear as soon as you plug in the headset for the update. Visit http://your.beatsbydre.com/#/?locale=en-US to open the update page.
Tips: You should not put your computer at risk by plugging in a fake headset. The odds of the computer being infected with malware or viruses are very high.
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Method 3 of 3: Take precautions against counterfeiting
Buy from authorized retailers to avoid counterfeiting. It's easy to trade counterfeits if you buy headphones from an individual online seller without any invoice or warranty information. If you buy from a reputable seller at a direct selling store, there is less risk.
Tips: Amazon, Best Buy, Micro Center, Nike, and Target are examples of authorized retailers. You can see the full list of legal retailers at https://www.beatsbydre.com/company/authorized-retailers.
Stay away from good bargains. There is no good reason for someone to sell headphones worth nearly 6,000,000 VND for 1,000,000 VND, maybe this is a fake or damaged. If the deal sounds lucrative at first glance, don't believe it.Unless you're on a big sale at an authorized retailer or you buy it on Black Friday, there's a serious problem with the headset.
Skip classified ads or auction undocumented. While there is no way to buy headphones at a good price other than buying old ones personally, you also need to be wary of undocumented deals. If the seller does not have a guarantee and you want to check if the headphones are genuine, try registering the serial number before paying. Legitimate serial numbers cannot be counterfeited.
- If the seller has registered the product, they must have a paper of registration or a link to a profile with this headset on the list.
Advice
- When it comes to audio, Beats are often judged as having inaccurate sound and amplifying bass. If you're buying headphones just out of concern for sound quality, consider consulting another less trendy and therefore less counterfeit brand.
