“My friend said if I can get it fixed I can have it ….”

As soon as we picked up the iPad, we knew: it’s a fake. The size is right, the weight is right, it has the buttons, a charge port, touch ID, front and rear facing cameras – but we know. No matter how many times you plug this in, it will never turn on.

We do have to say that whoever put this together, took a lot of time and effort to do it. Obviously, it’s not meant to fool anyone for long. One long push on what looks like the home button will knock it off the little spring, and that’s just the beginning.

Here are a few (though not obvious) signs it’s a fake.

We’re not sure where they got this back case.  If you didn’t know better, it’s pretty convincing. It has a serial number and everything! Unfortunately, all the information on the back appears to be from an iPad 2nd generation (2011), from the Model number (A1325) to the serial number. Come on! It’s printed in black (which Apple never did on a gold case) with a black Apple logo? 

You can’t see in the picture, but the front “glass” on this iPad is obviously plastic. It doesn’t have that pleasing smooth glass feel. The home button is a different color than the white border on the front. You may be able to see that the button seems a bit “sunken” too. It also felt strange when pressed, a little too “bouncy” (until it fell off the spring inside).

They’re also clearly mixing different models, with the “flash” on the back camera from the 2018 iPad Pro. Our point is: someone engineered this “Franken-Pad” and sold it to an unsuspecting  and hopeful buyer. But it is as empty as the bubbles in beer (as the old song goes).

Here’s what friends are for.

We did gently break it to our customer, that wherever this abomination came from, it was not Apple. And while we (or anyone else!) couldn’t fix it, we were able to offer him a sweet deal on a REAL iPad with a 90 day warranty. In return, he let us keep the iPaperWeight so we could write about the perils of buying from untrusted and untrustworthy sources.

Of course, we know not everyone is ill-intentioned and certainly not many would go to the lengths this fraudster went to. Unfortunately, if you have a device to sell, the stranger on the other side of that transaction may view you with suspicion (and vice-versa). TechRestore can help! We will not only give you more than just about anyone for your older Apple devices, pay you (not with gift cards or store credit) the same day and make sure your data is securely removed; we also offer a safe, trusted place to trade it in. 

While you’re here, take a look at our in-store inventory and accessories! See something you like? Need more cash? A quick application to SNAP finance and you could walk out with a new (to you) laptop, iPad, iMac or iPhone with a 90 day warranty (and option to upgrade it). Our Apple experts will help you choose the model that best fits your needs and show you features you may not have known were available.

We love sending customers out the door with a smile – no matter how they came in – and we’re grateful to do it everyday!