Utah man believes he has a fake iPhone 17 until tests reveal it's not as fake as he thinks

A man from Utah truly believed he had a fake iPhone 17 until he started doing tests on it, which revealed it might not be as fake as he thought.

The YouTuber had ordered several fake Apple products online and completely forgot about them until he thought he had been scammed after receiving what looked like a fake iPhone 17 in the mail.

The phone arrived unexpectedly, looked suspicious right out of the box, and raised immediate red flags.

But, after running a few tests, he learned the truth was stranger than a standard knockoff.

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Fake iPhone 17 tests reveal a real iPhone hidden inside

This Utah-based tech reviewer had been spending months ordering and testing fake Apple tech online, including fake iPhone 17 models, AirPods Max, and even a surprisingly decent fake Apple Pencil.

But, in the middle of that buying spree, he says he was charged for several fake iPhone 17 listings and then forgot about one of them entirely.

That is when a random phone showed up at his door.

At first glance, it looked exactly like a cheap Android clone pretending to be an iPhone 17 Pro Max.

But once he powered it on, it became clear this was not a normal counterfeit – it was running real Apple iOS, not a sketchy Android skin.

That is because the phone was technically an iPhone; the manufacturer had taken an older iPhone, stripped its internals, and transplanted them into a body designed to look like an iPhone 17 Pro Max.

The first clues were physical: the screen had rounded edges and a visible forehead, both classic signs of iPhone XR hardware.

The camera bump looked premium, but only one lens appeared to be genuine, with the others being fake.

The biggest giveaway came when he checked the serial number through Apple’s warranty system, and it became clear that, despite what the settings menu claimed, the phone was confirmed as an iPhone XR.

Beware of fake Apple products

That is what makes this particular fake far more dangerous than most because it is not just a knockoff designed to fool people from a distance – it is real Apple hardware in disguise.

A dishonest seller could buy a used iPhone XR for relatively little, move its internal bits into a newer-looking casing that looks like an iPhone 17, then sell it as the modern flagship for top-dollar.

After opening the phone, the YouTuber discovered that the inside had been built to fit the XR perfectly, with a custom structure designed to mount the logic board, cameras, and components inside the new frame.

The fit was so tight, in fact, that he damaged the screen while trying to pry it open.

Even more suspicious, the battery health showed 100 percent capacity, making him wonder whether some of these devices use brand-new or refurbished XR units to make the scam even more believable.

In the end, he called it a fascinating modification and said he plans to keep it as a souvenir, but he also warned that it is a perfect setup for people to get ripped off, and urged buyers to stick with official retailers.

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