There are a lot of cheap counterfeit XUFOs out there!

By checking a few features on the item for sale you will decrease the chance that you will be dissapointed by what you get.

First off, the XUFO by Silverlit is a smash hit radio controlled flying toy that resembles a UFO.  You can fly indoors and even outdoors in calm conditions.  The inventors sold the rights to a manufacturer and soon they were on the shelves here.  The first batch had some quality control issues, but the good ones were so much fun that word quickly spread and demand soared.

The idea, shape, color, and basic functions were quickly pirated in a COUNTERFEIT version from the far east that reached the shelves of toy stores about the same time the revised Silverlit (Version 2) arrived.  The differences in function and quality of the Silverlit genuine XUFO and the clone is reported to be dramatic (reported in user forums by several owners who have multiple units of both type).

Here is some information and a few pictures to help in making your selection.

The original Silverlit XUFO (I'll call it V 1) has a smoke colored dome over the gyro and packing with Silverlit brand name - see picture 1 & 2

Silverlit Version 1

above - Silverlit XUFO version 1 packaging

Next comes the COUNTERFEIT XUFO.  If only it would fly!  Very high dissapointment factor on most of these, avoid them at all cost.  UPDATE - I have been receiving many emails about the counterfeit XUFOs - most people report that they are impossible to fly at best and many are TOTALLY INOPERABLE.  Two reports of FIRE HAZARD with the counterfeit XUFOs, one burned out the electronics and started smoking during attemped flight and another had a battery pack burst into flames during charging.

Picture above - COUNTERFEIT XUFO - inferior product.

Note the different packaging - no XUFO name on the box but that's what some dishonest vendors advertise and sell them as.  There is a logo that is meant to look like UFO over top of an X - what a coincedence!  An obvious attempt to cash in on the popularity of the original. Different transmitter too. Too many problems with these to even start into here. In a nutshell- the COUNTERFEIT XUFOs do not have the eprom chip that programs and calibrates the gyro, that was the magic part of the true XUFO!  That is what allows the real XUFO to stay in a stable hover and makes them easy to fly.

More bad news- some of the dishonest vendors are using a video to advertise the COUNTERFEIT fake, but in the video it looks convincingly like a Silverlit transmitter and a Version 2 XUFO ! (the video has the music from X-Files TV show), Shame on them!  Update- one vendor is now using a video made by Silverlit (and pirated from the Silverlit web site) to sell COUNTERFEIT fakes, Shame on them too!

Above is a photo of the Silverlit XUFO version 2 note that it has a clear dome and different decals on the body with the Silverlit name on them and a different style of transmitter.

Another closeup of the Silverlit version 2 showing differences.

Do a google search and you will find lots of info on the Silverlit XUFO in user forums.

Other things to watch out for - any advertisement that does not specify Silverlit as the brand,

Take a moment to look at the vendor's feedback - especially the feedback they left for others.  Have they had a recent meltdown with bad attitude because of too many buyers rejecting their merchandise as defective or not as advertised?

Be sure to check how many ratings were mutually withdrawn from the vendors feedback - figure that they were all very negative and do your own calculation on the vendors rating.  A little known fact is that vendors are able to -buy back- those negative feedbacks by offering refunds to the disgruntled buyers if they agree to withdraw the negative first.  I got an email from a buyer who was offered a refund if they would withdraw their negative and return the item.  They did as requested and 2 months later - guess what - no refund, no replies to emails, they don't have the item anymore, and they had to pay to ship it back. Talk about adding insult to injury!  Lesson - read those feedback ratings carefully - 98% may not be so good after you do some thorough checking.

Another tip - watch out for PRIVATE AUCTIONS !!!  While this may be a valuable auction format for specialty and very high dollar items, a private auction for items in this price range means that the vendor is trying to avoid any community interaction that may tip off bidders that the auction is for a counterfeit item.

The good news is that there are a very few genuine Silverlit XUFOs out there, and they are a blast!

Just don't trust that because the vendor claims it is the latest version, not the recalled earlier version that it really is.

"Trust - but verify" - Former President Ronald Reagan on nuclear arms reduction negotiations with USSR.

I hope this helps you find exactly what you want when shopping on Ebay for a XUFO, accept no substitutes!  If you ignore the clues posted here and buy from a vendor who ships a counterfeit item to you, you will find that buyer protection features from Ebay and PayPal are tedious and you will probably not recover all of your money that was scammed from you.

A big bold COUNTERFEIT XUFO in your negative feedback to the vendor may be your only satisfaction. 

Update 07/29/2006 - several claims in progress for counterfeit XUFOs - let me know how yours turns out, I will post all info here. Contact member salthay56 and put XUFO in the first line.

Update 08/06/2006 - one vendor claims to have sold more than 400 of the counterfeit clones.  And from the email I am getting, NONE OF THEM FLY PROPERLY !!  If you don't blast them with NEGATIVE FEEDBACK, How will others know??  File complaints and get them removed from Ebay, Lets clean up the neighborhood.

Did you leave a positive already? Now you found out it is COUNTERFEIT?  You can still leave a follow-up feedback - it won't count against their score, but the text will be there.  a big bold COUNTERFEIT XUFO in the first line would be my choice.

I wish I could post a list here of vendors selling counterfeit items.  I know who they are.  Ebay policy prevents me from posting that info here since it may hurt the feelings of their tender little egos.  The best I can do within the boundaries that are set for me within the realms of Ebay is to educate buyers.  Outside of Ebay I can speak the whole truth.

Update 08/07/2006 - I just clarified the Ebay policy using live chat and they said no problem with posting vendors names who are - ALLEGEDLY- selling fake XUFO's - so here they are

worldsportcards, phaser454, chanwh8884, absolutetoyinc, hotrcdeals  -  - the list keeps getting longer

as of 08/30/06 the number of counterfeits up for auction has shrunk to only one new vendor who may not even know they are selling counterfeit items.  Since this vendor clearly shows the box and packaging that would allow a buyer to determine the maker is not Silverlit, it is in my opinion, far less fraudulent in terms of deception.  It does list the item as X-UFO which I am told is a copyright violation.  If you read this guide you have the information to make an educated decision.

THANKS FOR ALL THE INFO YOU BUYERS ARE SHARING and let me know if there are others

Update 08/16/2006 - I am starting to get responses that this guide is helping to recover stolen money !!  The claim process is very tricky and takes a lot of work and patience.  Don't be afraid to stand up against a thief even if they have a POWER SELLER rating.  Apparently the refunded payments and complaints have had an impact and the vendors listed above have stopped selling the counterfeit XUFOs.  I'll leave this guide posted in case they try to reintroduce their leftovers later.

One last request - If you found this info helpful and accurate please take a moment to register a vote on the link below.  That way I will know if my efforts to provide this info was worth the time it took me.  I don't want people to fall for counterfeit goods!!! 

Speaking of COUNTERFEIT - you may want to check out my other guide on Fake - Forever Flashlight - Busted!

And please vote below, the more people who click yes below the higher up on the list of guides it will be - and more people will be aware of this scam.  I would like to put a BIG dent in the amount of cash these thieves are stealing from their victims.  Besides, it only takes a click and will let me know if it was worth my time to write this.