Today's close call...

NERDtendo

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I got a response to a local facebook ad of mine (I buy video games blah blah blah) from a guy who wanted to clear his backstock from an eBay store he closed two years ago. He said he had a large tub full of brand new PS3 DualShock 3 controllers. I was skeptical and asked if the controllers were legit. He said that to the best of his knowledge they were and that he never received any complaints while running his eBay store. He said he had sold hundreds of these controllers. I told him I was interested and met up with him. I took comparison photos with me (from the internets) loaded on my iPod. His controllers checked out from the packaging so we negotiated a price. I couldn't afford the whole tub so I got a dozen and told him I'd be back for the rest later. I had already planned to investigate thoroughly when I got home. I got home and busted out the utility knife. Low and behold, they were counterfeit. I called him back and got him back his controllers and got my mullah. I educated him on the signs that proved they were fakes and he was pissed. He had been on his cell yelling at his brother (who got him into the controller business) when he arrived to return my cash. Aparently, his parents had gotten mad at him because he had been sending them to flea markets to sell them too. The guy apologized and I told him "No harm, no foul." I guess that the good thing about a small town is that if your deal goes sour the guy can't disappear on you...especially if you have his parents phone number and address. The dude was a good guy who got duped himself so I wasn't mad. He's upset though.

I'll post some pics of the fakes in a little bit.
 
These knock-off controllers are all over the place now.

From NES all the way up to PS3.

Just check out Deal Extreme.

Did the buttons have weird markings, like an inverted X? Most I've seen have something like that.
 
The packaging was very good. The only thing I missed on it was the lack of the label that says the color of the controller...

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...but as you can see form the rest of the packaging it is very convincing...

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Here is the telltale giveaway for them being fakes...

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The model numbers don't match and the back sticker is very different. I didn't take the controller out or open it up to show the rest because I already had all the proof I needed...

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That's a lot nicer replica than I have ever seen.

The Deal Extreme ones have a different PS Button, it says "P3" on it, rather than the logo.

Honestly, I had never seen one that was that realistic. A quick google search pulls up all the tell tale signs, though. Same as you pointed out.

Now I'm educated... which is nice, because I really need a new PS3 controller.
 
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