Beware the fakes on ebay! I got 2 fake Sony batteries

[Cloud23465]

I remeber a while back on ARA posting about the bad batteries I got for a Sony dvd handycam that were listed from Hong Kong, China. They make alot of fakes there and are able to do so because the copy right laws can't apply there like in the US. I've worked with Sony on this sitch... I could clearly say when I took the outer shell off of the battery... I could tell that this wasn't Sony quality. Take a look for yourself.


Very poorly connected with tin...

The card board was found inside the battery to keep it from moving around in the plastic shell.

SO... If you going to ebay to try to find OEM products for your cameras... stay away from out of country sellers all together.

[Fireand'chutes77]

Yike. Wouldn't that tin be a fire/shock hazard?

The cardboard insertions are like sawdust in the crankcase of a lemon, right?

How did you find out the batteries were fakes? The camera malfunctioned?

[Cloud23465]

Yike. Wouldn't that tin be a fire/shock hazard?

The cardboard insertions are like sawdust in the crankcase of a lemon, right?

How did you find out the batteries were fakes? The camera malfunctioned?

Answer to #1
That's probably why the batteries started to fail.

Answer to #2
The cardboard to me just confirmed my suspension that they were infact... fakes... but it did anger me though. It still cost $80 for the 2 of them total. But when they were selling for $150 a pop from Sony... well..

Answer to #3
The both started to have issues. One wouldn't charge and the other would... but the outside indicator on it would never show full status. I know Sony makes very good quality and this was very unlikely. I had talked to my uncle who works with crane maintenance where my dad and I work at. He told me that the cranes that they bought from China were copied from blueprints of german cranes. They were just built them alot bigger then the . Long story short, when i ordered these batteries they shipped from Hong Kong and that was about the same time I started to have problems with them. I did some digging on the internet and found others that had problems similar to mine. The big inperfection of these almost perfect copys was the stamp of the serial number on the casing.
Genuine Sonys were very clear when stamped and the fakes wern't. I sent the other battery off to sony at there request for analysis and have yet to hear from them. But there's not much they really can do. Most people are in the dark about things like this. Feedback on the sellers are great so you don't suspect a thing. They work long enough for you to be convenced then... they start to fail.
Ill try to find the piece on the bad battery where the serial stamp is and compair it to the one that came with the camera.

[Fireand'chutes77]

For some reason, when reading the thread's title, I can hear some scratchy-voiced soothsayer in Rome wailing, "Beeeewaaaarrreee the Fakes of Eeeebaaaayyyy!"

[TransWarpDrive]

That's why I only buy from the original manufacturer. It may cost more, but it's worth it in the long run. And besides, if I were to buy something on eBay, it'd only be a used item - something I couldn't get new. For instance, some KP merchandise I missed buying in the store; that sort of thing.

[canuck31003]

I've bought stuff from e-bay. I admit I've made a purchase or two where I was mentally prepared to consider it money lost, but luckily they've all worked out. I don't bid on anything expensive, though, and I only use paypal.

[campy]

I bought my cell phone off eBay, and it's worked out great. It was a used phone, too. I did get stuck with a counterfeit SD card once, though. It was very cheap, though.

[Cloud23465]

I bought my cell phone off eBay, and it's worked out great. It was a used phone, too. I did get stuck with a counterfeit SD card once, though. It was very cheap, though.

Yeah, I've been looking for a bigger duo pro memory card for my PSP and i'm seeing lots of information on fakes. FAKE Sony Memory Stick Pro Duo MagicGate Cards Exposed