Counterfeit Minelab Metal Detectors
Monday, May 17, 2010 9:30am

Imitation is said to be the greatest form of flattery. However, counterfeit Minelab gold prospecting metal detectors and accessories that don’t work is another story altogether.

Counterfeit Minelab metal detectors and accessories are entering the market which either don’t work at all or have extremely poor performance. Unsuspecting detectorists are being tricked into buying metal detectors that look like a GPX-4500, but at best perform like a $50 toy detector.

We first heard reports of counterfeit GPX-4500 metal detectors late last year and obtained a confiscated counterfeit GPX-4500 from Dubai’s Customs Department. We disassembled it and inspected it closely. The internal electronics were nothing more than a low quality poorly constructed VLF detector, which barely detected a coke can while touching the coil.

Poorly assembled VLF circuitry found in a counterfeit GPX-4500

The counterfeiters had clearly gone to quite a lot of trouble to make the counterfeit product appear to be the real thing. Unless you were very familiar with the look of a GPX-4500 you wouldn’t be able to tell that it wasn’t the real thing.

Counterfeiting at first might seem like a harmless activity. When you think of things like imitation clothing; while low quality the clothing is usually cheap and at the end of the day it does its job by keeping you warm, dry or looking stylish. However, the sellers of counterfeit GPX-4500s are selling them for as much, if not more than the real thing. Not to mention, that unlike counterfeit clothing, they don’t actually work.

There are also safety issues to be considered. Minelab metal detectors are tested to comply with many international standards, including FCC in the United States and CE in much of Europe. Counterfeiters have no concern for the safety of the end user, which is a concern when mains powered battery chargers are used and have the potential to cause a fire or electrocution.

One of the most disturbing facts about counterfeiting is that counterfeit products can often be traced back to unethical ends and support illegal activities such as child labour, terrorism and organized crime.

As a community of detectorists we need to be vigilant and aware of counterfeit metal detectors and ensure that our follow detectorists are not taken in by counterfeiters or their resellers. There are many unsuspecting ‘would-be’ detectorists paying high prices for counterfeit GPX-4500s. In many cases families or small communities pool their wealth together to purchase a GPX-4500 in the hope of earning a living from prospecting, only to find that they’ve purchased a counterfeit detector, which fails to find any gold.

The advanced technology used in Minelab metal detectors has taken over twenty years to develop and has only been possible because of Minelab’s commitment to research and development. So when you buy the latest Minelab metal detector you know you are getting the world’s best metal detection technologies.

When buying a Minelab metal detector, always make sure you purchase through an authorised Minelab dealer. Finding your nearest Minelab dealer is easy, just go to Minelab’s website and click on “where to buy” and follow the prompts.

Have you encountered a counterfeit Minelab metal detector? If so comment on your experience below or let us know through our contact form, so we can stamp this practice out.

Be vidual,

Brenton O’Brien