Fake Phone Chargers on Amazon: How Widespread Is the Problem?
By Global Swanky | Last updated: October 13, 2026 | Lab-test, lawsuit and Amazon figures checked on October 13, 2026.
Fake phone chargers on Amazon are less common than cheap ones, but far more dangerous. Apple once found almost 90% of the “genuine” Apple chargers and cables it bought on Amazon were fake. Here's what's changed since.
Key takeaways
- Fake phone chargers on Amazon exist, but no public figure shows what share of listings are fake.
- In 2016, Apple said almost 90% of the “genuine” Apple power products it bought on Amazon were fake.
- In UL testing for UK Trading Standards, 397 of 400 counterfeit Apple chargers failed a basic safety test.
- In 2026, Which? found an Amazon Haul charger that posed shock and fire risks.
- Buy chargers sold by Amazon.com or the brand, and look for MFi or UL marks.
A fake phone charger is a counterfeit: a charger or cable sold under a brand's name or logo, often Apple's, that the brand never made. An uncertified charger is different. It uses its own name but hasn't passed recognized safety or compatibility testing.
In this guide
- Fake phone chargers on Amazon: the short answer
- What the data says about fake chargers
- Are fake phone chargers dangerous?
- Counterfeit, uncertified or unbranded: what counts as fake?
- Which chargers get faked most?
- Why do fake chargers still slip through on Amazon?
- Which Amazon offers are safest for chargers?
- How to check a charger on Amazon before you buy
- How to tell if your charger is fake after delivery
- Is a cheap third-party charger always unsafe?
- What to do if you got a fake charger from Amazon
- Is it safer to buy chargers from Amazon or the brand?
- Frequently asked questions about fake phone chargers on Amazon
- The bottom line on fake phone chargers on Amazon
Fake phone chargers on Amazon: the short answer
They've been a serious problem, and they haven't gone away. Apple found almost 90% of the “genuine” Apple chargers and cables it bought on Amazon in 2016 were counterfeit, and a 2026 Which? test still found a dangerous charger on Amazon Haul. Nobody publishes a current share for Amazon alone.
The risk has two layers. Counterfeits copy a brand like Apple, while a much bigger pool of cheap, unmarked chargers may look legal but be unsafe. If you just want a safe one, our guide on where to get a good charger explains what to look for.
What the numbers can and can't tell you
There's no official count of fake chargers on Amazon. Lab tests count how many fakes fail, lawsuits count what one brand bought, and Amazon counts what it seizes across its whole store.
Put together, they show where the danger sits. They don't give you a single percentage for today's listings.
What the data says about fake chargers
Here are the most useful public numbers on fake and unsafe chargers, with what each one actually measures.
| Data point | Source and year | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|
| Almost 90% of “genuine” Apple power products and cables Apple bought on Amazon were counterfeit | Apple lawsuit against Mobile Star, 2016 | Fakes once reached even offers sold by Amazon itself |
| 397 of 400 counterfeit Apple chargers failed a basic safety test | UL testing for the UK Chartered Trading Standards Institute, 2016 | Almost every fake Apple charger tested was a shock risk |
| 9 of 15 marketplace chargers posed an electric shock risk, and none could legally be sold | Which? investigation of seven marketplaces including Amazon and Amazon Haul, June 2026 | Unsafe chargers are still on big platforms in 2026 |
| One UL-certified phone charger bought from a third-party seller was counterfeit | US Government Accountability Office (GAO), 2018 | Even “certified” listings from third parties can be fake |
| Almost 30,000 fake chargers seized from one Los Angeles distributor | UL, working with law enforcement, 2016 | Fakes are made and sold in bulk |
| More than 15 million counterfeit products seized and disposed of | Amazon Trustworthy Shopping Experience Report, 2025 data | Every category on Amazon worldwide, with no charger breakdown |
What did Apple find when it bought chargers on Amazon?
Mostly fakes. In a 2016 lawsuit against supplier Mobile Star, Apple said it had bought well over 100 iPhones, Apple power products and Lightning cables sold as genuine on Amazon over nine months, and almost 90% of the power products were counterfeit. Amazon told Apple that Mobile Star was its source for most of them.
That detail matters. These weren't only third-party offers: some of the fakes were sold by Amazon itself, which then handed its Mobile Star stock over to Apple for testing.
Apple also said it reported many thousands of counterfeit listings to Amazon every month. UL tested 12 of the Mobile Star adapters and found them so poorly made that they posed a risk of lethal electrocution.
How many fake chargers fail safety tests?
Nearly all of them. In 2016, UL bought 400 counterfeit Apple chargers online from suppliers in eight countries for the UK Chartered Trading Standards Institute, and 397 failed a basic electrical strength test. Only three passed, so a fake Apple charger is almost always a shock risk.
Trading Standards also checked about 3,000 second-hand chargers from London shops and markets, and found 15% unsafe in some way.
What Which? found on Amazon in 2026
In June 2026, Which? bought 15 USB chargers from seven online marketplaces, including Amazon and Amazon Haul. Nine were so badly made that anyone using them risked an electric shock, and eight also posed fire or explosion risks, according to the Which? investigation.
A £6.99 USB-C charger from Amazon Haul failed electrical safety tests. Two unbranded Amazon chargers at £2.99 and £3.99 passed, but all four bought from Amazon and Amazon Haul lacked key packaging, markings and documentation.
What Amazon's own numbers show
Amazon says it identified, seized and disposed of more than 15 million counterfeit products worldwide in 2025, according to its Trustworthy Shopping Experience Report. Its Counterfeit Crimes Unit has pursued more than 32,000 bad actors in 14 countries since 2020.
Amazon also says its automated checks block more than 99% of suspected infringing listings before a brand has to report them. That's a share of what Amazon flags, not a promise about every charger listing.
What a government test buy found
In a 2018 report, the GAO described buying 47 brand-name items, including UL-certified phone chargers, from third-party sellers on Amazon, Walmart, eBay, Sears Marketplace and Newegg. Brand owners found 20 were counterfeit, including one of the chargers.
One fake charger sounds small. But it carried a safety certification it never earned, which is exactly the label buyers rely on.
Are fake phone chargers dangerous?
Yes, and that's what separates chargers from most fakes. UL found 397 of 400 counterfeit Apple chargers failed a basic safety test, and Apple warned in 2016 that fake adapters could overheat, catch fire or electrocute users. A bad charger is a mains-voltage device sitting on your nightstand.
Shock and fire risk
The electrical strength test that fakes failed checks whether high voltage can leak from the mains side to the USB side. If it can, you could get a shock through the cable or the phone in your hand.
Which? found eight of its 15 marketplace chargers posed fire or explosion risks. Three were padded with weights to feel solid, which hides how little is inside.
Damage to your phone
Apple lists these problems with counterfeit or uncertified Lightning accessories:
- Your iPhone or iPad could be damaged.
- The cable might be easily damaged.
- The connector end might fall off, get very hot or not fit properly.
- You might not be able to sync or charge your device.
Counterfeit, uncertified or unbranded: what counts as fake?
Only one of three things is a true fake. Counterfeits copy a brand's name and logo, uncertified chargers skip proper safety or compatibility testing, and unbranded chargers simply carry no recognizable name. All three can be risky, but only counterfeits lie about who made them.
Counterfeit chargers
A counterfeit carries a brand's name, logo or packaging, usually Apple's. In the Mobile Star case, the fakes came in boxes with Apple logos and even had fake Apple serial numbers, according to the lawsuit.
Uncertified chargers and cables
An uncertified charger uses its own brand but hasn't earned a recognized mark. For Lightning accessories, Apple says certified third-party products carry the MFi badge on their packaging, while UL certification shows a charger passed safety testing.
Cheap unbranded chargers
Unbranded chargers aren't automatically fake or dangerous. In the 2026 Which? test, two unbranded Amazon chargers passed electrical safety testing, but they still lacked the markings and paperwork needed to be sold legally in the UK.
Which chargers get faked most?
Apple chargers and cables, by a wide margin. The Mobile Star lawsuit, the 400-charger UL test and the Which? fake “Apple” USB-C 35W adapter all involve Apple. That's because Apple's own adapters cost more and look simple to copy, so a cheap white cube with an Apple logo sells easily.
Apple power adapters and Lightning cables
UL says all genuine UL-certified Apple adapters are white, and it found fakes with misspellings such as “Power A dapeer” printed on the case. Small print errors like that are one of the quickest tells.
Weighted fakes
In the 2026 Which? test, two chargers were filled with modelling clay and one with a metal weight, to make lightweight chargers feel more substantial. One of the clay-filled chargers was a fake “Apple” 35W adapter.
So weight alone tells you very little. A heavy charger can still be a fake with almost nothing useful inside.
Why do fake chargers still slip through on Amazon?
Because chargers are cheap, high-volume and easy to copy, and Amazon's catalog is huge. Fakes once reached Amazon's own stock through a supplier, brands report thousands of bad listings a month, and until March 31, 2026, identical units from different sellers could be pooled in Amazon's warehouses.
A supplier fooled Amazon itself
In 2016, Amazon told Apple that Mobile Star had supplied most of the counterfeit Apple power products Amazon sold directly. If a big retailer's buyers can be fooled, a shopper scrolling listings can too.
Listings come back faster than they go
Apple said it reported many thousands of counterfeit Apple listings to Amazon every month in 2016. Which? said it first warned marketplaces about dangerous chargers in 2019, and still found them in 2026.
Pooled inventory ended in 2026
Amazon used to let sellers send identical items into its warehouses without their own barcode labels, then pooled the stock. That system, called commingling, ended on March 31, 2026.
Older pooled stock can keep selling until it runs out. A 2026 order is more traceable than before, but not automatically.
Which Amazon offers are safest for chargers?
Offers sold by the brand's own store, or shipped and sold by Amazon.com, carry the least risk, though the Mobile Star case shows even Amazon's stock isn't immune. Third-party offers fulfilled by Amazon come next, and offers shipped and sold by an unknown seller need the most checking.
| Label on the offer | What it means | Our risk read |
|---|---|---|
| Sold by the brand's own store (Apple, Samsung, Anker and so on) | The maker or its official store sells the charger | Lowest: confirm the seller name matches the brand |
| Ships from Amazon.com, Sold by Amazon.com | Amazon's own retail stock | Low: still check marks and print on arrival |
| Ships from Amazon.com, Sold by another seller | A third-party seller's stock, stored and shipped by Amazon | Moderate: vet the seller before you pay |
| Ships from and Sold by another seller | The seller stores and ships the charger itself | Higher for “genuine Apple” listings: check marks and reviews |
| Amazon Haul or very low-cost listings | Budget items, often unbranded | Higher: Which? found a dangerous charger here in 2026 |
These are our risk reads, not Amazon's labels. They follow where the Apple lawsuit, lab tests and the 2026 Which? findings point.
How to check a charger on Amazon before you buy
Run through these steps on any charger or cable listing before you pay. It takes a couple of minutes.
- Read the Sold by line. The brand's own store or Amazon.com is safest, and anyone else needs a closer look.
- Be wary of any listing that says genuine Apple but isn't sold by Apple or Amazon.com.
- Look for the MFi badge on Lightning accessories, and a UL or ETL listing on wall chargers.
- Compare the price with the brand's own site. A genuine Apple adapter at a fraction of Apple's price is a red flag.
- Check the listing photos for clear markings, ratings and the maker's name on the charger itself.
- Scan the newest one-star reviews for words like hot, burning smell, sparks, fake or stopped charging.
- Pay with a card and check the return terms, so you keep dispute rights.
Going cable-free? Our wireless charger picks cover certified pads and stands from named brands.
How to tell if your charger is fake after delivery
Check it before you plug it in, while your return window is wide open.
Apple cables: what Apple says to check
Apple's guide to counterfeit Lightning accessories gives precise tells. A genuine Apple Lightning to USB cable has “Designed by Apple in California” and an assembly location printed about seven inches from the USB end, followed by a 12-digit serial number.
| Feature | Apple-branded cable | Counterfeit or uncertified cable |
|---|---|---|
| Lightning connector | Single piece, smooth finish | More than one piece, rough or uneven finish |
| Contacts | Rounded, smooth, gold- or silver-colored | Squared contacts with an uneven surface |
| Boot size | Consistent 7.7 mm x 12 mm | Varying width, length or thickness |
| Connector faceplate | Gray or metallic | White or black |
Wall adapters: color, print and markings
Compare the adapter with photos on the brand's own site. UL says genuine UL-certified Apple adapters are white, and fakes often carry misspellings or blurry print on the case.
Look for the maker's name, electrical ratings and safety marks on the charger itself. Which? found every marketplace charger it bought was missing key markings or documentation, so a bare case is a warning sign.
Warning signs while charging
Unplug a new charger straight away if you notice any of these:
- It gets hot to the touch within a few minutes.
- You smell burning plastic or hear buzzing or crackling.
- The plug or connector feels loose or wobbles in the socket.
- Your phone charges erratically, shows an accessory warning or stops charging.
Is a cheap third-party charger always unsafe?
No, plenty of third-party chargers are well made, and in the 2026 Which? test two unbranded Amazon chargers passed electrical safety testing. The difference is accountability: a known brand with MFi or UL marks has been tested and has a name to protect. An unmarked charger gives you nothing to check.
Our take: you don't need Apple's own charger, but you do need a real brand and real marks. For portable power, our power bank buying guide and portable charger picks stick to named makers.
What to do if you got a fake charger from Amazon
Act fast. Unplug it, document it, then return and escalate.
Unplug it and stop using it
Don't keep using a charger you think is fake, especially overnight or near anything flammable. Given the lab results, the risk isn't worth a few dollars.
Document and start a return
Photograph the charger, its markings, the box and the cable ends, and screenshot the listing and the Sold by name. Then open the order in Your Orders and say plainly that you believe it's counterfeit or unsafe.
File an A-to-z Guarantee claim for third-party sellers
If a third-party seller won't help, message them through Amazon first and give them 48 hours. Then file an A-to-z Guarantee claim, which you can do within 90 days of the latest estimated delivery date.
Fake batteries carry similar risks. Our check on whether batteries on Amazon are real covers what to look for there.
Is it safer to buy chargers from Amazon or the brand?
Buying from the brand's own site, its official Amazon store or a big electronics retailer is safest, because the maker stands behind the product. Amazon.com's own stock comes next, with the caveat that fakes reached it in 2016. Unknown third-party sellers and rock-bottom listings carry the most risk.
Our take: for anything that plugs into the wall, buy the brand or a certified name from a seller you can trace. Save the bargain hunting for phone cases, not power.
Building out your kit? Our must-have phone accessories and trending phone accessories guides list what's worth buying, and our report on fake earbuds on Amazon covers the other gadget most often faked.
Frequently asked questions about fake phone chargers on Amazon
Does Amazon sell fake phone chargers?
Fake chargers have reached Amazon buyers, both through third-party sellers and, in 2016, through Amazon's own stock via a supplier called Mobile Star. Apple said almost 90% of the “genuine” Apple power products it bought there were fake. Buy from the brand's store or Amazon.com and check the marks on arrival.
How common are fake phone chargers on Amazon?
No one publishes a current charger-specific rate for Amazon. Apple's 2016 test buy found almost 90% of “genuine” Apple power products were fake, and a 2026 Which? test still found a dangerous charger on Amazon Haul. Unsafe unbranded chargers are a bigger pool than outright counterfeits.
Are fake phone chargers dangerous?
Yes: UL found 397 of 400 counterfeit Apple chargers failed a basic electrical safety test, meaning high voltage could leak through to the USB side. Apple has warned fakes can overheat, catch fire or electrocute users. Unplug any charger that gets hot, smells or buzzes.
How can I tell if an Apple charger is fake?
Check the print and finish. Apple says genuine Lightning cables have “Designed by Apple in California” and a 12-digit serial about seven inches from the USB end, and UL says genuine UL-certified Apple adapters are white. Misspellings, rough connectors and missing marks point to a fake.
What is the MFi badge?
MFi stands for Made for iPhone, iPad and iPod. Apple says certified third-party Lightning accessories carry the MFi badge on their packaging, and it recommends using only certified accessories. A Lightning cable without the badge may be uncertified and could damage your device or fail to charge.
Are cheap chargers on Amazon safe?
Some are: in the 2026 Which? test, two unbranded Amazon chargers passed electrical safety testing, though they lacked the markings needed for legal sale in the UK. Others failed badly. Choose a named brand with UL or MFi marks rather than gambling on the lowest price.
Is it safe to use a third-party charger with an iPhone?
Yes, if it's from a reputable maker and properly certified. Apple recommends Lightning accessories with the MFi badge, and wall chargers should carry a recognized safety listing such as UL. Avoid unmarked chargers and anything claiming to be genuine Apple at a fraction of Apple's price.
Why are some fake chargers so heavy?
To feel genuine, since in its 2026 investigation Which? found two chargers filled with modelling clay and one with a metal weight, including a fake “Apple” 35W adapter. Counterfeiters add weight because buyers associate heft with quality. Weight tells you nothing about what's inside.
What should I do if I received a fake charger from Amazon?
Unplug it and stop using it, then photograph the charger, markings and box and start a return from Your Orders, saying you believe it's counterfeit or unsafe. If a third-party seller doesn't help within 48 hours, file an A-to-z Guarantee claim within 90 days of the latest estimated delivery date.
Can a fake charger damage my phone?
Yes. Apple says counterfeit or uncertified Lightning accessories can damage your device, get very hot, fall apart at the connector or stop your phone from charging or syncing. A fake that leaks high voltage is also a risk to you, not just the phone, so unplug it straight away.
Is Amazon Haul safe for chargers?
Be careful. In its 2026 investigation, Which? bought a £6.99 USB-C charger on Amazon Haul that failed electrical safety tests and was a shock and fire risk. Amazon Haul focuses on very low prices, so for anything that plugs into the wall, a named brand from a traceable seller is safer.
Is it safer to buy chargers from the brand than from Amazon?
The brand's own site or official Amazon store is the safest choice, because the maker stands behind the product. Amazon.com's own stock is next, though fakes reached it in 2016 through a supplier. Unknown third-party sellers and rock-bottom listings carry the most risk by far.
The bottom line on fake phone chargers on Amazon
Fake phone chargers on Amazon are a smaller pool than cheap ones, but they're the most dangerous fakes you can buy. Almost every counterfeit Apple charger tested failed basic safety checks.
Your next step: open the charger listing you're eyeing, check the Sold by line and look for MFi or UL marks. Buy from the brand, Amazon.com or a seller you've vetted, then check the print and finish before you plug it in.