Counterfeit Brother Toners: How To Spot and Avoid Them

How To Spot Fake Brother Toners

To make sure you're buying real  Brother toner cartridges and not fake ones, it's important to pay attention and know what to look for. 

Here are some tips to help you spot and avoid fake Brother toners:

Product Authentication Tool

Brother offers a production authentication tool for verifying products.

Visit the Brother website to use their authentication tool. Just enter the 7-digit code found on the security label hologram, and it will tell you if it's original or not.

Product authentication tool on Brother website

Verify the Packaging

Genuine Brother toner cartridges come in well-designed packaging.

Pay attention to the quality of the cardboard, holographic seals, and the Brother logo's authenticity.

Counterfeit products often have packaging that looks shoddy and lacks attention to detail.

Make sure to closely examine the hologram. It should include dots and numbers, as well as text that can be seen from various angles.

Security hologram on Brother genuine supply packaging

Examine the Labels and Codes

Take a close look at the stickers and numbers on the toner cartridge. Genuine Brother cartridges have clear, legible labels with accurate information.

Look for inconsistencies in the model number, page yield, and any region-specific codes.

If the label appears blurry, smudged or has errors, it could be a sign of a counterfeit product.

Use Your Smartphone

Download an app specifically designed to read data matrix codes. Some apps that only read QR codes might not work for this purpose.

Then use the app to scan the Data Matrix code. The ID will be checked automatically, and you'll see a green checkmark if the product is real.

Note: Brother also suggests using the Brother SupportCenter app for scanning the code, available for both iOS and Android users. 

However, during our review of the app, we encountered numerous negative reviews indicating that it might not be helpful.

Check the Toner's Performance

To spot a fake toner, watch out for signs like sudden bad print quality, such as  faded or streaky prints. 

Additional indicators are frequent paper jams and the toner depleting unusually fast.

Considerations Before Buying

Before purchasing a toner cartridge for your printer, remember these factors to make a wise choice. 

This will help you acquire a reliable product without any doubts.

Purchase From Trusted Retailers

To guarantee authenticity, opt for renowned and trusted retailers like Toner Buzz.

At Toner Buzz, we focus on selling original products, so you can feel confident in your purchase. We're a trusted choice for your toner cartridge needs, dedicated to quality and customer satisfaction.

Read Customer Reviews

Research and read customer reviews before making a purchase. If other customers have had negative experiences with a particular seller or product, it's a red flag and may indicate counterfeit items.

Compare Prices

If the price looks too good to be real, it likely isn't.

Counterfeit toner cartidges are often sold at much cheaper rates than genuine ones. Be careful when buying from sources that offer significantly lower prices.

Summary

Follow these steps and confirm the appearance and authenticity of the security hologram to reduce the risk of purchasing counterfeit Brother toner cartridges

This way, you can be sure you'll get the quality and performance you're looking for.