Roger Fingas
Apple has filed a lawsuit against a vendor called Mobile Star, accusing it of violating copyrights and trademarks by selling counterfeit accessories on Amazon and Groupon. Coincidentally, the iPhone maker claimed that a large chunk of supposedly genuine Apple accessories sold on Amazon are fake. [Updated with Amazon statement]
The suit specifically targets 5-watt USB power adapters and Lightning-to-USB cables sold by Mobile Star, according to court documents from the U.S. District Court for the Northner District of California, highlighted by Patently Apple. Apple argued that the products are not only counterfeit, but a potential safety hazard, since they have problems like inadequate insulation or too little spacing between low- and high-voltage circuits.
Apple said that it discovered the issue with Mobile Star's gear as part of its regular efforts to combat fake accessories. Notably, it made a specific claim that in the last nine months, it bought "well over 100 iPhone devices, Apple power products, and Lightning cables sold as genuine" through Amazon's "Fulfillment by Amazon" program, and found that almost 90 percent of them were inauthentic.
Although Apple earlier contacted Amazon and got Mobile Star's selling privileges revoked, it charges that Mobile Star is continuing to infringe, in fact selling 10 products to Apple through Groupon last December. More recently an Apple investigator was able to buy fake EarPods and Lightning cables via direct sale, even though Mobile Star had already been contacted by Apple about its activities.
As compensation Apple is asking for up to $2 million per infringed trademark, plus up to $150,000 for each violated copyright.
Update: Amazon provided the following statement to AppleInsider:
"Amazon has zero tolerance for the sale of counterfeits on our site. We work closely with manufacturers and brands, and pursue wrongdoers aggressively."
Malcolm Owen
William Gallagher
Charles Martin
Christine McKee
Wesley Hilliard
Andrew Orr
39 Comments
Good move on Apple's part. This is despicable, and Amazon should take alot of the blame for allowing this garbage masquerading as authentic Apple products.
I wonder why Apple doesn't put their logo on the chargers and cables.
I would never buy products listed as genuine from third party sellers on Amazon unless you can verify they are authorized resellers.
I bought a bunch of Lightning cables from Woot (an Amazon subsidiary) believing they would be genuine as advertised. Only one of the three cables worked. I received a credit for the others, but I wouldn't buy from them again. Ironically, Amazon's Amazon Basic Lightning cables have always worked great.