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Are your 18650 Li-ion Batteries Fake?
TaoBao has some hints here. I've copied the pictures below and translated the Chinese text. ht: ahvttvsn.
Note the 2D Bar Code. I think the white text identifies the manufacturer.
Looks good on the outside, but look more carefully.
The outside code is super-thin and elastic.
Take off the covering and look on the inside.
Quality of body and cap is matched perfectly. It is not done by a counterfeiter.
Bare ("naked") cell diagram.
Counterfeit vs. Genuine.
Counterfeit is only plated on top and has dull body.
Genuine is consistently shiny.
Note the reflection on fake and real.
There's more information on the vendor's page. There's a chart showing the lousy power output of the fakes.
Category → Are your 18650 Li-ion Batteries Fake? » 18650 , batteries » Hobby-RC s