Fake External Batteries Promise More Capacity Than They Have
The online market is flooded with offers of external batteries that advertise enormous capacities, such as 50,000 mAh, at prices that seem incredible. However, these devices hide a very different reality: they are usually a massive fraud. The real capacity they deliver is a minimal fraction of what is promised, leaving the user with a useless product. 🪫
The Deception Behind the Casing
To perpetuate this deception, dishonest manufacturers resort to very specific methods. Instead of using quality lithium cells, they install batteries with very poor performance. In the most serious cases, the inside of the power bank does not house batteries, but filler materials like sand or metal ballast. This trick aims to make the device weigh what a user would expect from a legitimate product, falsely simulating the density of a high-capacity battery.
Key Signs to Detect a Scam:- Suspiciously Low Price: The cost of manufacturing a real 50,000 mAh battery has a minimum. An absurdly cheap final price is the first alert.
- Ghost Brand: Be wary of brands without history, without presence in technical forums or without reviews verified by experts.
- Misleading Weight: Although the weight may seem correct, scammers adjust it with filler. It is not a reliable indicator on its own.
The safest way to verify a product is to look for independent technical analyses where they measure the real capacity with specialized equipment, such as a discharge tester.
Why It's Complicated to Solve the Problem
These fraudulent items are mainly distributed through third-party sellers on large e-commerce platforms or temporary websites. When the buyer receives the defective product and tries to claim, often the seller has disappeared or refuses to cooperate. Platforms may intervene, but the process for the user is usually slow and frustrating.
How to Protect Yourself When Buying:- Choose Established Brands: Always opt for manufacturers with reputation and years in the market, even if their price is higher.
- Look for Complete Specifications: A legitimate product details its capacity in watt-hours (Wh) in addition to mAh, and shows safety certificates.
- Read Technical Reviews: Avoid offers "too good to be true" and base your decision on analyses from reliable sources.
Conclusion: Avoid Charging Your Phone with a Brick
If you acquire a external battery that promises to charge your smartphone ten times but barely manages to do it one and a half times, the problem is not in your device. It's likely that you have been sold a disguised brick, with a minimal circuit and filler that only serves to increase its weight. Prudence and prior research are your best tools to avoid these scams and acquire a product that really works. 🔋