If your iPhone charger blows up, it may be a fake sold on Instagram


Stroppa’s interest in the Apple product situation began last year when the charger exploded while he was on vacation at Capri, Italy. — Background photo created by jcomp - www.freepik.com

A simple, daily gesture like charging an iPhone turned into a life-threatening task for Andrea Stroppa, a cybersecurity researcher. The charger that exploded after he borrowed it from a friend, Stroppa discovered, was a counterfeit Apple Inc product bought through an unofficial channel on Instagram.

Stroppa and his colleagues at Ghost Data Team, a cybersecurity, social-media research firm, looked into the incident and found he was far from alone. Chinese illicit factories and wholesale vendors are using the Facebook Inc app to sell fake Apple accessories such as AirPods, lightning cables, iPhone batteries and USB power adapters.

Limited time offer:
Just RM5 per month.

Monthly Plan

RM13.90/month
RM5/month

Billed as RM5/month for the 1st 6 months then RM13.90 thereafters.

Annual Plan

RM12.33/month

Billed as RM148.00/year

1 month

Free Trial

For new subscribers only


Cancel anytime. No ads. Auto-renewal. Unlimited access to the web and app. Personalised features. Members rewards.
Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel for breaking news alerts and key updates!
   

Next In Tech News

The quick, cheap, easy process of building an AI-generated disinformation website
TSMC set to report 5% rise in first-quarter profit on strong AI chip demand
Oracle to invest over $8 billion in Japan in cloud computing, AI
First law protecting consumers' brainwaves signed by Colorado governor
Microsoft finds Russian influence operations targeting U.S. election have begun
Micron set to get $6 billion in chip grants from US, Bloomberg reports
New Cadence supercomputers aim to speed creation of chips, software
Fintech Revolut bets on Mexico growth, expects remittances as driver
Google lays off employees, shifts some roles abroad amid cost cuts
Microsoft-OpenAI deal set to dodge formal EU merger probe, sources say

Others Also Read