If you’re a fan of rap music, you’ve probably heard the term “fake beats” before. But what exactly are fake beats? And how can you tell if the beats you’re listening to are fake?
It can be difficult to tell the difference between them, but there are a few tips you can follow to help you identify them.
What Are Fake Beats by Dre Headphones?
Low-quality imitation headphones called fake Beats by Dr. Dre are produced by con artists to look like the real thing. These knockoffs advertise high-end performance, but they fall short thanks to subpar hardware, software, low battery life, and general subpar quality.
Although counterfeit Beats headphones resemble genuine Apple-owned models, you can spot small clues that will allow you to discern the difference between the two. In a moment, we’ll discuss those.
Things You Should Know
- Look for clear text, the “Studio” or “Solo” trademark emblem, and an airtight plastic seal on the container. Additionally, confirm that the padding on the interior crease of the case coordinates with the cushioning on the rest of the case.
- Make sure the right ear has the serial number. Your headphones are unquestionably counterfeit if the print appears on the left ear.
- Try registering your headphones.
How To Distinguish Between The Fake Beats Earphones And The Real Ones – 3 Simple Ways
Method 1: Examining the Packaging
- Check the box’s typography to check if it is clean or fuzzy. By carefully reading the text on the box, you can frequently tell if Beats are genuine or not. The inscriptions on the outside of the Real Beats packaging stand out sharply against the plain background. You might have a box of counterfeit Beats if the lettering is hazy, faded, or appears to have been printed on paper before being attached to the box.
How to tell if your Beats headphones are fake? Beats headphones come in a variety of unique packaging. This can make some fakes difficult to spot.
- Check the bottom right of the large “Studio” or “Solo” for a trademark logo. The two more expensive Beats headphones that are frequently imitated are the Solo and Studio versions. On the side and rear of the box for each of these headphones, the model name is displayed in large letters. It may be a fake pair if the Studio or Solo printed on the back lacks a trademark logo on the bottom right corner.
The letters TM in a smaller typeface serve as the trademark logo.
Some models of the headphones have the trademark emblem on the instruction booklet rather than the front or rear.
Since the EP headphone line is not a trademark, it will not have a trademark logo. However, because they are among the more affordable models, they are rarely faked.
- Contrast a genuine package with the image of the headphones on the box. If the package is bogus, it might have undergone digital editing. The counterfeiter most likely had to change the headphones’ image on the box in order for it to appear genuine. Check to see if the headphones on the package correspond to those listed on the Beats website.
Compare the highlights on the box you are investigating to the highlights produced by the light on the official packaging in particular. You almost surely have a fake pair if the box is altered and the photo isn’t accurate.
The highlights produced by the lights are visible on the left and right tops of the ear on the Studio and Solo boxes.
- Examine the plastic seal to see if the packing is airtight. The Beats’ packaging should be tightly sealed with a plastic cover. It’s possible that the Beats have been tampered with if the plastic is not sealed. If the plastic is missing, partially gone, or broken, don’t make the purchase if you’re debating buying a brand-new pair.
Fake headphones are very difficult to reseal in the plastic packaging that genuine Beats headphones come in. This is due to the fact that the majority of counterfeiters lack access to the binding equipment required to plastically seal an item.
- Check the carrying cases to see if it is glossy or thin. Unzip the carrying case and remove it. Examine the area of the carrying case that doesn’t have a zipper where the two halves of the case fold over. The beats are probably real if the padding inside the crease matches the cushioning throughout the casing. The headphones can be fake if the cloth is shinier or thinner than the rest of the casing.
This component of fake headphones is incredibly prevalent. Many manufacturers of imitation headphones focus so much on making the headphones appear good that they overlook details like the carrying bag.
In order to reassemble a carrying case, counterfeiters frequently take two of the fractured parts of the case and glue or knit them together. As a result, the crease of a fake pair seems different from a genuine one.
Method 2: Verifying the Software and Serial Number
- To do a quick test, identify which ear the serial number is printed on. Examine the case surrounding each ear cushion while holding the headphones in both hands. There are letters “L” and “R” that designate the left and right ears, respectively. To lengthen and heighten the headband, pull out your headphones. To find your serial number, look within the exposed plastic that rises as you raise the headband. The headphones are definitely bogus if the number is on the left ear.
The serial number is never printed by Beats on the left ear. The fact that the number appears on the right, however, does not necessarily imply that the headphones are authentic.
Try registering your serial number if it is on the right to determine if it is legitimate.
- Check the validity of the serial number by registering your Beats online. Obtain the registration screen by visiting https://www.beatsbydre.com/register and waiting for it to appear. On the right side of your headphones is a serial number that you should enter. To validate your serial number, click. Your serial number is invalid if a “We’re Sorry” page appears. This could indicate that you have a set of fake headphones on hand.
It may simply have been confirmed if you purchased used headphones. However, the seller should be able to verify it for you by displaying the verification documents or their web presence.
- While accessing the update page to perform a test, connect your Beats to the computer. Visit the Beats update page online to update drivers and fix security flaws for Beats headphones. By attaching a USB cord to your headphones and plugging it into any available computer port, the website can update itself via your computer. When you connect your headphones to update them, if they are phony, you will receive an error warning. To access the update page, go to http://your.beatsbydre.com/#/?locale=en-US.
By connecting phony headphones to your computer, you are not actually endangering it. They have very little chance of being infected with viruses or malware.
Method 3: Preventative Actions to Prevent Fakes
- To avoid counterfeits, only purchase from authorized retailers. You are very likely to purchase fake headphones if you purchase headphones from a private seller on Craigslist who does not have the receipt or warranty information. You’re less likely to be taken advantage of by a set of fake headphones if you purchase from a trustworthy vendor in a physical store.
Authorized stores include Nike, Target, Best Buy, Amazon, and Micro Center. The full list of authorized merchants is available online at https://www.beatsbydre.com/company/authorized-retailers.
- Steer clear of prices that seem absurdly low. Except if they are damaged or phony, there is no practical reason why someone would price $250 headphones at $50. If something sounds too good to be true, it often isn’t. The likelihood that the headphones will have a significant problem is high unless there is a significant sale running at an approved retailer or you are purchasing them during a Black Friday event.
- Reject any classified or auction listings that lack supporting documentation. While purchasing used headphones from another person can sometimes result in significant savings, be aware of any deals that exclude the warranty documentation. Try registering the serial number before handing over the money if they don’t have the warranty documentation and you truly want to confirm they’re legitimate. A genuine serial number cannot be faked.
If the headphones have already been registered, they ought to have the registration documents or a link to a unique profile where the headphones are listed.
How to Spot a Fake Beats by Dre Listing Online
When you can view the product in person, it’s much easier to identify fakes, but when you’re purchasing from an online listing, this is not an option. If you’re purchasing a pair of Beats by Dre headphones online, you’ll need to spot con artists by carefully reading through their descriptions.
The methods we’ll outline here will help you spot fakes without ever having to view the real thing:
- Check the seller’s contact details to be sure they are accurate. Their email address and name should match. For instance, if the seller’s name was Jamie, but their email address was [email protected], you should proceed with caution.
- Grammar errors are common in scam listings, which frequently have them all over the page. Since scammers are frequently found all over the world, it is uncommon for them to speak the local languages they are advertising in with ease. Be careful moving on if you see typos and other simple language errors.
- Plagiarism: Scammers frequently copy and paste product descriptions from other websites since they lack proficiency in regional languages. Check the product listing copy of the seller using a plagiarism detection program to discover whether they have copied it from another website.
- Before making a purchase, look up the approximate shipping time. You should be concerned if it takes four or more weeks for your Beats by Dre headphones to arrive.
- Images: Never purchase a product from an online retailer that does not utilize its own unique images. Instead of copying the images from the Beats website, people selling products on eBay or Craigslist should take their own shots.
- Reviews: Check the reviews for falsified or negative experiences on the product listing. Don’t proceed with the purchase if it’s clear the merchant bought or did bogus reviews.
What to Do If You Purchased Fake Beats Headphones
If you find out you bought fake Beats by Dre headphones, act right away. Depending on where you purchased the item, you’ll want to follow a different remediation approach, but the following is a list of frequent sellers and their recovery procedures:
- Facebook Marketplace doesn’t provide any assurances or money-back policies.
- Craigslist: There is no buyer protection on Craigslist. To stop the vendor from defrauding you and others in the future, if you’ve bought a fake, report the fraud to Craigslist.
- Walmart Marketplace: Use the Marketplace Promise feature to request a refund.
- eBay: There is zero tolerance for fake products on eBay. Contact eBay’s customer service to start the money-back guarantee process.
- Amazon: To request a refund under the A-to-Z Guarantee, get in touch with Amazon customer service.
- Thirty days are allowed for returns at Wish. To make sure your item is acceptable, check their list of exclusions. Despite Wish’s lenient refund policy, it’s advisable to stay away from the site when buying expensive items like headphones.
Contact the FBI’s digital division to report the scam if following these steps doesn’t help you get your money back. Find out if you may cancel the transaction before it is fully processed by speaking with your bank or credit card provider. If it’s been processed already, you might need to ask for a chargeback.
Where Can You Buy Fake Beats Headphones?
Regrettably, con artists offer phony Beats for sale all over the internet. When buying these headphones, you’ll need to exercise caution if you’re not doing it on BeatsbyDre.com, Apple.com, or a trusted third-party vendor.
Here are a few locations known for peddling imitation Beats headphones:
- eBay
- Amazon
- Market at Walmart
- Instagram Marketplace
- Craigslist
- Alibaba
- WishMarket vendors
- Instagram Ads
- similar websites
Sadly, con artists have exploited these sites and tarnished their names. These platforms are used by legitimate vendors as well, but you should exercise extreme caution and due research before making any purchases.
Where to Buy Real Beats by Dre Headphones
Fortunately, you can find genuine Beats by Dre headphones on several trustworthy, reliable websites. We’ve produced a list of the safest websites below:
- The official Beats by Dre website
- Apple Inc.
- The Best
- Samuel’s Club
- Target
- B&H
A comprehensive list of authorized shops has also been compiled by Beats by Dre. It has reputable dealers on it from almost every continent.
Read more:
Video: How can you tell if Beats wireless tour 3 fake vs real?
FAQs
How do you know if a pair of Beats is fake?
Although con artists have improved their imitation Beats products, there are still telltale characteristics of fakes. Pay close attention to the headphones’ pricing and unique characteristics.
What are fake Beats headphones worth?
In certain nations, fake beats are sold for as cheap as $1. This price is a clear giveaway online, which prompts some con artists to offer knockoff Beats at slightly lower rates than original Beats headphones. Depending on the model, genuine Beats by Dre headphones can range in price from $50 to $350.
Does Target offer knock off Beats?
Not at all, according to Target. Target has previously offered counterfeit headphone brands, but these didn’t claim to be Beats by Dre headphones; instead, they imitated the style.
Do phony Beats work well?
The sound quality of some counterfeit Beats can be quite good, but they can’t compare to the strength and performance of real Beats.
Where can I find affordable Beats by Dre headphones?
One of the most expensive brands of headphones is Beats by Dre. This makes it quite challenging to find them for a bargain. During Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and other holiday specials, the majority of merchants will offer them at a decent discount. Be cautious going ahead if you ever encounter Beats that are being offered at a huge discount. Purchasing used Beats headphones could be successful, but there are hazards involved.
Conclusion
After reading this article, you should now be able to tell if your Beats are fake. If you have any doubts, take them to a local authorized retailer for authentication. Stay safe and don’t get scammed!