The fake Apple stores where employees thought they worked for Apple

A closer look

You have to admire the sheer audacity of intellectual property theft operating at this scale. In 2011, bloggers discovered elaborate counterfeit Apple stores in Kunming, China. They didn't just sell fake iPhones; they copied the winding staircases, the minimalist wooden tables, and even the blue employee lanyards. The staff genuinely believed they worked directly for Steve Jobs. It was the ultimate retail cosplay, entirely untethered from Apple's payroll.