BBB Warns Against Company Selling Fake Beats Headphones

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Columbus, OH – Beats by Dr. Dre Headphones have been a popular holiday gift for several years now, with PC Magazine rating the noise-canceling model as one of the best noise-canceling headphones of 2016. Better Business Bureau is warning consumers that counterfeit Beats are often sold, masquerading as great deals online.

Better Business Bureau serving Central Ohio is specifically warning consumers of Bullet-Tech, an online electronics company advertising Beats by Dr. Dre. Bullet-Tech has an F rating with BBB for failing to deliver products after payment is received, and failing to respond to refund requests from consumers. Consumers in four states have filed complaints with BBB after ordering a total of $400 in merchandise.

Bullet-Tech uses a false Central Ohio address on their website to create the impression that customers can reach them if they need assistance.

Currently, electronics are ranked as number 2 on BBB’s Top 10 Most Common Counterfeit Gift Items. Are your Beats the real deal? Check out these clues:
  • Real Beats by Dr. Dre will have the word “wireless” on the silver part of the outer headphone frame. Fake Beats will have the words “studio wireless” written instead.

  • Real Beats will have a well crafted headphones case with no cracks. Fake Beats will have a case with an outer black clip, and crooked stitching on the inside.

  • Real Beats will not show any flashing lights or LED lighting when they are turned on because the plastic is thicker and of better quality. Fake Beats will show the LED lights shining through on both sides of the ear pieces as a result of thinner, cheaper plastic.

  • Real Beats will have a clear trademark symbol and description on the inside of the headphone frame that is easy to read. Fake Beats will have a blurry, faded trademark that is difficult to see clearly.

  • Real beats will have thick foam covering the speakers. Fake Beats will have thin, transparent foam that allows you to see the speakers through the material.

Because Beats headphones are so specialized, retailers have to be authorized to sell them. For a list of authorized Beats dealers, consumers should go to the Beats website at: http://www.beatsbydre.com/support/buying/authorized-retailers.html.

BBB also wants consumers to be aware that Apple, Inc. acquired Beats by Dre in August 2014. Therefore, any complaints filed after that date are handled by Apple, Inc. directly. Beats Music Support can be contacted at: https://www.beatsbydre.com/support.

For more information, follow your BBB on Facebook, Twitter, and at bbb.org

Media Contact: Kip Morse – 614-754-4560 or kmorse@centralohio.bbb.org

About BBB
For more than 100 years, Better Business Bureau has been helping people find businesses, brands and charities they can trust. In 2015, people turned to BBB more than 172 million times for BBB Business Reviews on more than 5.3 million businesses and Charity Reports on 11,000 charities, all available for free at bbb.org. BBB serving Central Ohio was founded in 1921, and serving 21 counties in Ohio, is one of 113 local, independent BBBs in the United States, Canada and Mexico.