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Fake Apple Store has Fake iPads, iPhones: Even Staff is Fooled

By Cynthia Hsu, Esq. on July 20, 2011 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

Want to visit an Apple store in China? Make sure you're not actually visiting a fake Apple store, because apparently the real ones and the fake ones look incredibly similar.

The fake stores are so realistic that apparently they're also fooling the employees, who think they work for Apple, according to The Daily Mail.

The only real giveaway that the stores aren't exactly legit is the signs that say "Apple Store," which is something that the real Apple does not do, The Daily Mail reports.

One such fake Apple store was discovered by a U.S. blogger, "BirdAbroad," who became suspicious that the Apple store she was in wasn't really an Apple store. She stumbled across what she first thought was a legitimate Apple store in Kunming, China.

As it turns out, Apple does not have an authorized store in Kunming, according to The Daily Mail.

The illusion is pretty realistic. The fake store had wooden tables, similar to the ones used in real Apple stores. The staff wore Apple T-shirts with Apple logos, with Apple employee ID cards that read "Staff," The New York Times reports.

The products themselves, however, did seem genuine according to BirdAbroad, reports The Daily Mail.

What is Apple to do? Will it try to retaliate against these fake stores for selling their products (that is, if they really are genuine Apple products)? The tech giant may not do anything, considering their bottom line is certainly not hurting from the strange competition. China sales increased by 250% since the previous year, and in total they accounted for a third of Apple sales. If such a store cropped up in the U.S., however, you can believe a lawsuit would be served on the imposter.

Whether you visit a fake Apple store or a real Apple store, it seems that the popularity of Apple products in China is only increasing. In fact, earlier, the white iPhone release set off a violent fray at an actual Apple store in China, reports MSNBC.

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