Watchdog Warns Of 'Potentially Lethal' Phone Chargers On Amazon And Ebay
The shopping list spanned Amazon and its budget storefront Amazon Haul, AliExpress, B&Q Marketplace, Debenhams Marketplace, eBay, Temu, and Shein. All fifteen chargers arrived missing legally required details on packaging, the product itself, or accompanying documentation, which alone bars them from UK sale.
A £6.99 USB-C charger from Amazon Haul failed electrical safety testing outright, posing shock and fire risks. Two unbranded AliExpress units, priced at £1.30 and £5.69, crammed circuitry components dangerously close together and failed during high-voltage stress tests. One shipped with a plug face too small to satisfy British Standard BS1363. A charger from B&Q Marketplace, a £10.99 "2-1 Super Fast Charger" died immediately when testers stressed its insulation, and two of its pins left the factory too thick to fit into a wall socket.
Then things went from bad to worse. A £9.99 dual-port charger from Debenhams Marketplace flunked every electrical safety test, and investigators found modeling clay packed inside to lend the flimsy device a convincing heft. The same trick appeared in a counterfeit Apple 35W power adapter bought on eBay for £11.99. Testers heard arcing, electricity leaping across parts of the circuit, just ten seconds into an electrical strength test, behavior that can end in fire or explosion. A spelling error on the casing gave the game away, too. According to consumer watchdog Which?, one buyer reported the fake charger in question overloaded and ruined both an iPad and a smartphone. Two more unbranded eBay chargers failed due to inadequate circuit spacing and undersized pins, and a suspected counterfeit Samsung unit arrived without any packaging.
In contrast, Temu and Shein tested much better. Four chargers purchased from the pair passed physical safety testing. However, the absence of UK importer details and product markings still makes them illegal to sell in the UK.
Most affected marketplaces have pulled the flagged listings, with several promising refunds and tighter seller vetting. Watchdog Which? wants more than a cleanup, however, remarking that it first warned platforms about dangerous knock-off chargers back in 2019. The consumer-minded group is pushing the government to use powers under the Product Regulation and Metrology Act, adopted in July 2025, to make platforms legally responsible for vetting third-party sellers. Sue Davies, the organization's head of consumer protection policy, argued doing so would "set a world-leading standard for product safety in the digital age."
So, what is the takeaway? A charger handles electricity inches from a person's nightstand, and buying a cheap mystery brick is like rolling the dice. Which? advises checking for a CE or UKCA mark and eyeing suspiciously cheap big-brand listings with skepticism, since a genuine Apple charger costs significantly more than a fake or knock-off. While that markup might hurt the wallet a bit more, it buys actual circuitry instead of modeling clay.
If anyone is in need of a new phone charger, here is a short list of trusted brands and options to consider:
- Scosche HPDC20WT-SP fast charger PowerVolt 20W USB-C is 58% off for only $8.49
- Belkin 45 Watt USB-C charger (2 Pack) is currently 17% off for only $28.99
- Anker 65W 3-port fast compact foldable USB-C charger block is currently 25% off for $29.99
- UGREEN 3-Port 30W USB-C charger is just $16.49
- UGREEN 63W USB-C car charger adapter is currently 30% off for only $15.99
