Fake memory still being sold on eBay and Amazon

Counterfeit flash memory, such as USB flash drives, SD Cards and Solid State Drives, with falsified storage capacities are a prevalent problem on popular online marketplaces such as eBay, Amazon, and AliExpress. These fake drives are often advertised with large storage capacities at attractive prices but in reality contain significantly less memory. This deceptive practice can lead to data loss, frustration, and financial loss for unsuspecting buyers.

How counterfeit flash memory works

Fake USB drives are typically modified devices that report a higher storage capacity to the computer than they physically have. For example, a drive advertised as 128 GB might actually contain only 8 GB of real storage. When users try to store data beyond the actual capacity, data corruption, overwriting, or loss occurs.

This is achieved by manipulating the drive’s firmware to falsely report the larger size to the operating system. Because the drive appears legitimate during basic use, many users do not realize they have purchased a counterfeit until data begins to fail. Additionally, these counterfeit drives will often use defective NAND memory, which can cause poor performance, unreliability, and premature failures.

Common signs of counterfeit flash memory

• Unusually low price compared to market value
• Seller feedback and reviews indicating issues or counterfeits (Amazon and AliExpress in particular are well known for fake reviews and removing negative feedback which makes counterfeit drives look more convincing)
• Inconsistent physical appearance, packaging, or branding, often, but not always, pretending to be a well-known brand such as Sony, Xiaomi, and Sandisk.
• Performance issues such as slow read/write speeds or frequent errors
• Storage capacity tests revealing less capacity than advertised

Impact on consumers

Consumers purchasing counterfeit drives risk losing important personal or professional data. These drives may fail without warning, and data recovery is often impossible, especially due to the fact that most of the data will have likely been overwritten, possibly several times. Additionally, counterfeit drives undermine trust in online marketplaces and can damage the reputations of legitimate sellers.

How to detect fake USB drives

• Use software tools such as H2testw (Windows), F3 (Fight Flash Fraud) (Linux/Mac), or ChipGenius (Windows/Mac) to verify real capacity.
• Check seller ratings and reviews carefully.
• Avoid deals that seem "too good to be true."
• Prefer purchases from reputable brands and authorized dealers.
• Avoid unbranded or off-brand drives.

Marketplace response and regulation

Both eBay and Amazon have policies against counterfeit goods and work to remove fraudulent listings. However, these policies are rarely enforced and thousands of fake items, not just flash memory are listed on these platforms, sometimes for years without being removed.

Preventative tips for buyers

• Purchase from official brand stores or verified sellers.
• Test the USB drive immediately upon receipt. It is highly recommended to use H2testw or F3 (Fight Flash Fraud) to write to the entire drive to test the performance and integrity of the flash memory. If the performance is much lower than expected, or you encounter errors, you should return the drive immediately.
• Be cautious of heavily discounted drives claiming unusually large storage.
• Keep evidence such as receipts and product packaging for dispute resolution.