DOC Posted August 8, 2014 Report Share Posted August 8, 2014 (edited) NO ONE! Anyone who would have bought this machine would be a BIG LOSER. It's a counterfeit. My purpose in posting this was to demonstrate just how good these counterfeit machines look. BUYERS BEWARE! This all started when a person called me for advice. He said he had purchased a Brand New, in the box GPX5000 but it would not turn on and he didn't know if it was the battery or the machine. I told him to send the box and battery to me and I would test them out. Sure enough, battery was dead, and machine simply had an on/off switch, not a spring loaded on/off switch. Then I looked at the serial number. It was missing a digit. The more and more I looked, the whole fake started to unravel. #1. The color of the printing and the type style of the Minelab logo on the machine was not right. The real Minelab on the left, the reds were red, and the whites were white. The fake, the red was maroon, the white lettering was more grey. #2. No Spring loaded on/off switch. #3. The Smart Port where the handle with green button plugs in was a 2 pin port, Minelabs are always three pin. #4. The Silver STOP Counterfeits label was blotchy looking and when looking at it through the security viewer the image and printing was not sharp and clear. First label is legit label, second picture if blotchey, and fake. The viewer picture of the Dish is nice and sharp it is real, the picture of the BALL is bluish and is fake. #5. The tune button was different. #6. The 5 pin Power port where the power cable plugs in, while being the right configuration did not look like the port the Minelab uses. First picture is 5 pin female port real Minelab battery on right, Second picture is the female 5 pin on the fake machine, they are not the same. #7. The battery... charging LED was just an LED. The Minelab has a lens over the LED which looks like a bullseye because the plastic is molded with concentric circles. First picture is fake, Second is Minelab. #8. The headphone logo on the battery of the earphones has a wider white area than normal Minelab earcup. First Picture is legitimate, inside of earcup where the black is not printed is very narrow. Second picture is fake, inside of earcup looks like a "0" zero. So this gentleman thought he got a screaming deal at $500 for this Never Used GPX5000. Instead he got a worthless piece of crap that doesn't work and cost him $500. He wanted the machine back, which I warned him it is violation of law to even have this thing in his possession. He said he was going to try and see if he could get his money back. Good Luck! We have heard about all the fakes out there, well, they are out there and they are really good fakes. Moral of the story is if it's too good to be true it probably isn't true, and buy from an authorized dealer. Hope this little tutorial keeps you from making a costly mistake. BTW, there are many manufacturers of counterfeit machines, and all of them have little nuances. For example one fake, has a three pin smart port that looks like the real deal with the exception that a real Minelab smart port has a little recessed molded ring inside the port that insures the plug from the green button handle seats firmly. You can feel a little click when you plug the smart wire from the handle with the green button into the port, this is the raised ring on the plug, seating into the recessed ring inside the port. With the counterfeit, the plug just plugs in. It is easily pulled back out with a little tug because there is no seating ring. A very subtle difference but enough of a difference to identify a counterfeit machine. Be Careful Out There! Buy from a Certified Minelab Dealer Doc Edited May 20, 2017 by DOC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deathray Posted August 8, 2014 Report Share Posted August 8, 2014 good lesson Doc...thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fredm Posted August 8, 2014 Report Share Posted August 8, 2014 A very good object lesson...I was wondering why you posted a 5000 for sale(but not for sale) ; now I understand.No matter how many people get the shaft there is always another lined up for the shearing...hopefully, you saved someone the loss...fred Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldies1955 Posted August 8, 2014 Report Share Posted August 8, 2014 Thanks Doc. Very good lesson for anyone thinking about buying one.Good info.The person should count his blessings that hes only out 500.It could have been a lot worse!500 for a new in box ML5000 should have thrown up red flags anyway.Tom H. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reno Chris Posted August 8, 2014 Report Share Posted August 8, 2014 hopefully, you saved someone the loss...He said he had purchased a Brand New, in the box GPX5000 but it would not turn on.Well, someone bought it. With these fakes, there is no exchange, no repair, no options. You just bought a pile of junk. The one I saw in Africa, when the battery was charged it ran and the options screen looked and operated fine - it seemed like you could scroll through and select all the normal operating functions just like on a real GPX 5000. But it would not detect even large metal objects placed right on the coil. If you don't buy your detector from a known and established detector dealer like Rob or Doc, you need to see it work before you purchase. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DOC Posted August 8, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 8, 2014 I forgot to mention that this gentleman purchased it at an estate sale. So he was thinking that maybe someone just didn't know the value of the machine and that he was getting a steal. My understanding is that a lot of these "estate sales" are sort of dodgey. I guess they bring in all kinds of stuff for the estate sale that really isn't part of the estate at all.Doc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
way2cool Posted August 8, 2014 Report Share Posted August 8, 2014 I knew you were up to something. It struck me as being very odd why you asked what a 5000 was worth. I feel for the guy that bought it but I live by if it is too good to be true is probably is. It's best just to walk away.My understanding is that a lot of these "estate sales" are sort of dodgey. I guess they bring in all kinds of stuff for the estate sale that really isn't part of the estate at all. Yep seen that just last weekend. A house down the street had one there was a truck unloading boxes into the house. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DOC Posted August 8, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 8, 2014 Thanks Doc. Very good lesson for anyone thinking about buying one.Good info.The person should count his blessings that hes only out 500.It could have been a lot worse!500 for a new in box ML5000 should have thrown up red flags anyway.Tom H.That's true. $500 is a cheap lesson. But he doesn't even having a working fake. Anyone who is ever considering buying a machine make sure you get the serial number off of it first. Either Rob or I can verify the ownership of the detector and which dealer it was originally sold to. That should give you some piece of mind.Doc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DOC Posted August 8, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 8, 2014 BTW, I have a genuine GPX5000 on Ebay right now that was only used for 2 hours. The guy I sold it to was heavy set and was convinced he was going to get into detecting to lose weight.Well on training day, that usually last 8 to 10 hours, he lasted 2 hours. He took the machine home and never used it again. He finally sold it back to me.Doc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin nuggethunting Posted August 9, 2014 Admin Report Share Posted August 9, 2014 Hey Doc, A lot of fakes out there, some don't even know it and think it's a real 5000 and performing like the others. Several years ago during the GPX 4500 boom, a customer of mine decided they were not going to buy anymore GPX 4500's from me, as they found another person that was selling them for 1/2 the price. I tried to convince this person they were fakes, but they pulled the plug and purchased 20 of them. I received a phone call months later and this person was crying on the phone asking for help. They wanted me to help them sell or do what I could as they were out over $45,000 on fakes. They said it took their entire savings, checking and a good portion of their 401K. I told them many times not to purchase, but they were convinced they could purchased real ones for 1/2 the price, even when I told them I couldn't buy them from Minelab at that price. Some people don't learn, or learn the hard way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdu3164 Posted August 9, 2014 Report Share Posted August 9, 2014 wow, Great. Doc I bought a battery about a week ago, the headphone logo looks just like the one you show (cups look like 0) but the led light looks like a bullseye. I have not ever used it. I did charge it and connect it to my 4500 and the the "Battery test" showed 8.0 +v the same as my original battery. I hope I havnt been scamed. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AZNuggetBob Posted August 9, 2014 Report Share Posted August 9, 2014 Have you heard about the new GFX 7000? AzNuggetBobhttp://www.ebay.com/itm/261553975389?_trksid=p2060778.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DOC Posted August 9, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 9, 2014 Have you heard about the new GFX 7000? AzNuggetBobhttp://www.ebay.com/itm/261553975389?_trksid=p2060778.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AITYou can get them direct from the manufacturer in China for $1980. They have done a really good job of repackaging their counterfeit machines to try and get around legal problems.http://www.aliexpress.com/item/GFX-7000-Chinese-manufactuer-to-dubai-market-of-Super-Gold-Finder-gold-detector-for-Gold-Mine/1855604366.htmlDoc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdu3164 Posted August 12, 2014 Report Share Posted August 12, 2014 Sure hope this guy did'nt change the led lens and sell me the battery....I did find a "Great Deal" (I Hope)Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nvchris Posted August 12, 2014 Report Share Posted August 12, 2014 Expose the seller! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Digger Bob Posted August 12, 2014 Report Share Posted August 12, 2014 Here's the site where most of them come from. Scroll through and you will find every major brand and model.Well, it won't let me cut and paste but this is the name. alibaba.comType in metal detector for a search. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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