How to spot a fake Minelab GPX 5000

YellowFever said:

Well the seller has provided serial number and seems pretty genuine. Will have to see and have a look condition wise etc

Click to expand...

You need to see the actual serial number on the machine as many are just obtaining genuine numbers from other advertised machines. Of course then when checked via minelab it's comes up authentic ...................... just because the number given is authentic bares no credibility to the machine unless it is affixed to it ? Even then it could be a fake sticker with a genuine number. You need a viewer available from minelab that verifies the hologram on sticker
In saying that going on pictures the unit does look genuine.

Thanks Bogger. Just got confirmation from minelab that serial number is genuine. I also sent them pictures but they said nothing about them.

YellowFever said:

Thanks Bogger. Just got confirmation from minelab that serial number is genuine. I also sent them pictures but they said nothing about them.

Click to expand...

What Bogger is saying is that the number might be legit on the Minelab system, but what if it's just been copied from another unit and stamped into that home made metal plate?

Unless minelab match the serial number up to the regiatered owner / original purchaser, and that may he's the info youre given by the seller, a legitimate serial number doesn't mean anything.

If the unit is sent to minelab and they open it up, different story - they can confirn.

Looking at the pics, I wouldn't worry about it being genuine or not...I'd only be concerned about any shady deals that the unit might have been a part of in the past.

But I have seen many legit Minelab s with damaged serial stickers

I completely understand what Bogger is saying and have spoken Minelab themselves and the seller. I am well aware the fakes can have duplicate original serial numbers and that's why I contacted Minelab and posted on this forum. I just wanted some more opinions before I made the 6 hour turn around trip to the other side of Victoria. I am glad I asked for more opinions. I had my doubts as it was before I asked for advice. Just got a reply from the seller before. When I asked if he had the original hologram reading card or if he knew the original owners name he said this

Hi Col,
Sorry for the late reply. I don't have a hologram viewer and I am not the original owner I purchased the detector from a guy in Werribee
and he was the second owner so don't know who the name of the original owner .
I was told by Minelab that the original warranty ended on the 13.10.15 as per the the email from Minelab below:
Hi Joe
This is a Genuine S/N Warranty End Date was 13.10.15
Regards,
Customer Care Team
Minelab Electronics Pty Ltd |Technology Park, 2 Second Ave, Mawson Lakes, SA 5095
T: +61 8 8238 0888 F: +61 8 8238 0890 E: [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>

I know from life experience that if your gut makes you think twice it's for a reason 99.9% of the time . Plus no warranty on this 5k, no original owner details, seller is expecting people to go off his word that it is genuine. He may be a top bloke I do not know. And that's just the problem. If it was a good friend I would believe him.

On the plus side I have been contacted by a fellow Prospecting Australia member regarding Nuggets 4500 that he just sold still got good warranty and I know nugget and the current owner aren't dodgy!

Good work on going with your gut here. I wouldn't buy without seeing it in the flesh and having a test run. The 4500's are about the best bang for the buck you'll find IMO.

Thanks nuggetino, I am very well completely wrong and this is more than likely a genuine 5K. I am a "widowed" father of a 2yr old girl and I just cannot afford to risk several thousands of dollars. Taken me a loooong time to have a spare $100 spending money let alone $3500+. That kind of $ to myself and my daughter is almost a year's worth of food on the table for us.

It's sad to know that a lot of people out there have invested hard earned and hard to come but $$$$ in buying a Minelab that turned out to be a fake.
Worst thought I have is the poor buggers who are still trying to locate gold with these fakes and not succeeding and all in all they are blaming themselves on not finding anytime with some of the best technology available.
Would love to run into on of these fu@#&$& mongrels one day soon!!

The photos are clear enough - there is no doubt that it's a genuine Minelab GPX 5000 (unless the insides have been replaced with something else). It's not a fake.

That is not the potential issue with a machine like this (ie one without a proper serial number sticker on it).

The potential issue is that it is possible (but not certain at all) that, at some point in the past, the serial number sticker has been intentionally removed to make it hard to identify, and a piece of metal stuck on it with a duplicate serial number from another machine.

If you buy a machine like this, you'll have difficulty selling it if you ever need to.

Yeah it was enough alarm bells for me to run in the opposite direction lol

No response after half a day from the seller. He was responding by the minute until I asked if I could check the hologram security sticker with a genuine minelab hologram checker! Now 3x extra msgs sent still without response. I am buying BigWaves 4500(nuggets newly sold 4500) and am not interested in this dodgy5k anymore. Just want to find out if this is a fake so If it is I can report it to Victoria OR Australian federal police.

Yellow fever, it is NOT A FAKE.

Ok just raises concerns when you can't get any history. Plus as someone previously said it's fairly beaten up and without warranty or any history I would recommend like others said to stay well away from this machine.
Also as you said NB the Serial number plate is a slight concern but could very well be legitimate. I kind of feel sorry for the seller in the aspect that he doesn't even know the details of this machine.
Picking up my 4500 this weekend!!!!
Super excited
Thanks for everyone's help too with there input regarding the 5k. Everyone who contributed to the post helped me greatly!

You made the best choice IMO. Good luck with your new 4500!

A GPX5000 on eBay with a starting price of $150 caught my attention! At least the seller's description is honest, but the next buyer may not be, so I wish he'd just scrap it and get all components off the market forever:

"Gpx 5000 detector parts
Spare parts. Chinese gpx5000. Ordered online kinda works. Picks up large gold and metal. Threshold unstable. Best used as spare parts. 11" coil, padded arm rest, car charger, Chinese wall charger, full battery harness, copy kloss head phone's and battery. Basically straight up copy. Everything included all cords etc. Seeing a battery alone is $400 good price for a spare."

Click to expand...

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Gpx-500...394938?hash=item25e49eaffa:g:6TkAAOSwXPNaB-47

Hey, I'm looking at a 5k, all good, just want to check the serial # with minelab, anyone know the process?

Sorted thanks!

Back in the game, lol.

davent said:

Sorted thanks!

Back in the game, lol.

Click to expand...

Very pleasing to hear that Dave and hope you find heaps :Y: :Y: :Y: :Y:

davent said:

Sorted thanks!

Back in the game, lol.

Click to expand...

Awesome news