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Archive for the ‘Brands Flash Devices’ Category

SOSFakeFlash Releases Report On eBay For Fake Flash Memory Sold. The Different Price Lists From Wholesalers In The Orient For Flash Memory Products. Fakes verse Genuine.

Posted by flashchiptutor on November 16, 2009

eBay is not a good place to buy or even sell usb flash drives, memory cards or mp3 mp4 players. Sellers and resellers need to be aware there are usually two different price lists offered in the Orient for the same items. Choose the wrong list and you will regret it. Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Articles, DataTraveler 150, Flash Drive Education, News | Tagged: , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Kingston Secure Digital High Capacity (SDHC) Memory Card Counterfeit SD4/32GB

Posted by flashchiptutor on October 11, 2009

Beware Kingston Secure Digital High Capacity (SDHC) Memory Card Counterfeit SD4/32GB advertised as 32GB with this packaging is counterfeit – fake! Kingston did not produce these. The memory card is likely to have a real capacity of only 2GB. This model was recently sold on eBay.

Front:

32GB Kingston Fake Front

Back:

32GB Kingston Fake Back

Testing revealed a true capacity of only 2GB. The serial information also failed validation at Kingston.

Avoid being frauded or scammed. Do not buy this memory card in the packaging shown, you risk loosing your photos. Do not sell this usb flash drive! Instead, if you wish to buy on the internet visit a Kingston’s site to determine the models offered and find on of their authorized resellers.

Important Reading:

Report in to SOSFakeFlash if your testing confirms you have a false capacity device.

Posted in Kingston SDHC Flash Card | Tagged: , , , , | 4 Comments »

Counterfeit Kingston flash memory items removed from ebay

Posted by fightflashfraud on September 3, 2009

The frankenflash has been working with Kingston for some months to have listings for counterfeit Kingston flash drives removed from ebay. This is both for the sake of buyers and to help Kingston defend it’s well earned reputation for reliability. The sale of counterfeits undermines buyer confidence in brand names because when something goes wrong (as it inevitably does with counterfeit flash drives) it does not occur to most people to blame the seller – instead they blame the brand!

However (with all the other issues the long-standing members of the project deal with) we did not have the manpower to hunt out all those selling counterfeit Kingston until recently. However we now have a dedicated Kingston counterfeit hunter who has become very experienced at hunting down these and has developed a good rapport with Kingston. He now heads the counterfeit team at the fightflashfraud branch of the frankenflash project. As a result these counterfeits are being removed more quickly than ever before.

This fake flash angel (you know who you are!) has been awarded gold wings for his sterling efforts to warn sellers and buyers of fake flash items as well as his work with Kingston. Unfortunately sometimes we can’t get the message out quickly enough to stop some items being sold -if you find that a Kingston item vanished from your won list claim a refund through Paypal. Ebay knows it is counterfeit and there is no excuse for not refunding your money.

The frankenflash project is a worldwide coalition of ebay members who are former victims of fake flash fraud. We have a number of small teams working within the various branches of the project who work on different aspects of the problem. We have a dedicated team in the fightflashfraud branch who specialise in hunting out counterfeits.

What is a counterfeit?

A counterfeit anything is a cheap copy of a brand name item. Though counterfeits are always lower quality than the genuine article there is an additional problem with counterfeit flash memory items. A counterfeit fragrance, handbag, pair of counterfeit shoes, jeans or other such items may be poorer quality and less durable than the genuine article but at least they are useable and unlikely to cause damage.

Counterfeit flash memory is an entirely different story.

The user of a counterfeit Gucci handbag is unlikely to find that when she opens her handbag everything she put in it has either disappeared or turned to dust. The wearer of a pair of counterfeit Kalvin Kleing boxers is unlikely to find that his dangly bits have either vanished or shrivelled up and become unusable. The user of a counterfeit flash memory item is not so lucky.

Buyers of counterfeit flash memory, besides being defrauded financially, can end up with considerable amounts of lost and corrupted data. Anyone using a counterfeit will eventually find all their data (treasured photos or videos of the family, important business documents or whatever) has either been lost or corrupted. Why?

Because, as well as not being manufactured by the brand whose name they carry, they are also fake capacity. Once the true capacity (usually tiny in comparison with the capacity they seem) is exceeded – pouf – everything (or almost everything – depending on how much was “saved” to the drive) is gone or corrupt.

If you bought a flash memory item on ebay that bears the Kingston name and the item has mysteriously vanished from your won list it is no doubt because the item was counterfeit. Under pressure from Kingston, ebay has been forced to remove the item.

If you have not yet paid for it – do not do so!! If you have paid, claim a refund through paypal. Look at the refund advice on the sosfakeflash blog – this was written by previous victims of fraud to help you by giving you the benefit of their experience. Use it to overcome the barriers paypal often put in the way of victims of fraud. The knowledge you glean will arm you to deal with paypal’s tacticts to try and hang onto your cash.

Posted in Articles, Counterfeits Kingston, Memory Cards, USB Drives, eBay | Tagged: , , , | 2 Comments »

eBay Seller jiejie5544 Violates International Postal Laws Selling Fake 32GB Memory Cards On eBay

Posted by flashchiptutor on August 31, 2009

eBay insists that listings and transactions comply with the laws of the countries where both the seller and the high bidder reside. Confirmed fake flash seller jiejie5544, violated international law by marking his fake 32GB memory cards as a gift on the CN 22 customs declaration form.

Reference: Ebay & International Law – Listings And Transactions – Postal System For Counterfeit Fake USB Flash Drives, MP Players, Memory Cards

Shipping envelope back:

jiejie5544-1

shipping envelope front:

jiejie5544-2

FakeFlashNews just confirmed that jiejie5544 is part of a counterfeit ring:

eBay Fraud – 32GB Memory Cards New Counterfeit Ring Lee Kin Ming Discovered By SOSFakeFlash

Notice the poor quality of this 32GB flash card:

jiejie5544-3

It you are a potential seller for 32GB memory cards, be careful. 32GB capacity is not cheap and any self respecting manufacturer will not offer such a sloppy presentation with stickers attached willy nilly. There is pride in manufacturing genuine capacity memory cards. For sellers of fake and false capacity memory cards, it is another matter. Who cares? It isn’t real capacity anyway. You should not violate international postal laws marking the items you sell as gifts, you could face prosecution in your country. Resist any pressure from potential customers, obey the law and sell safe.

If you bought a memory card like this on eBay or at any internet site, test it immediately for genuine capacity!

For eBay buyers of this memory card read SOSFakeFlash’s alerts:

Posted in Advice, No Name Fakes | Tagged: , , , , | 1 Comment »

Do You Want To sell Kingston DataTraveler USB Flash Drives On eBay Or the Internet? Becareful.

Posted by flashchiptutor on August 13, 2009

Recently The FrankenFlash Project uncovered a seller who was determined to sell counterfeit Kingston DataTraveler usb flash drives. The seller operates on eBay and also has an independent site. Operating under the name uk-choice and ukmobi this seller sold fake 8GB usb flash drives. When confronted, instead of removing the items for sale the seller simply changed the listing description to state the capacity found in testing, not realizing just how dangerous it was to consumers. It is a very serious case of fraud.

If you buy from an unauthorized wholesaler of Kingston Technology you are asking for only one thing, trouble. If you think that you are simply cutting out the middle men, and that this explains the lower prices, you are dead wrong! The sad fact is, the profit from selling true capacity usb flash drives, mp players and memory cards is small. To make money, you have to move volume! Too many honest sellers learned this the hard way on eBay, they were forced to close shop and even sell below their costs to try and reclaim at least some of their investment.

Most people think this is a hot selling item with large profits waiting in the wings. Unfortunately this is not true. SOSFakeFlash and also FightFlashFraud are committed to finding and publishing fake flash sellers on the internet. FakeFlashNews also publishes the most important stories to increase consumer awareness.

If you are thinking of selling do your homework first! You don’t want to be reported at those sites, if they have evidence they will never consider removing it. The FrankenFlash Project is devoted to stopping this problem and there is now a zero tolerance policy in effect.

To see just how some people are so stubborn and motivated by greed and ignorance we are publishing the article presented at FakeFlashNews.

From FakeFlashNews:

Some sellers will do anything to make money. The case of uk-choice and ukmobi demonstrates just how far a seller will go to sell and offload false capacity usb nand technology to consumers causing data loss. This recent case first published at SOSFakeFlash demonstrates that sellers are often ignorant of the technology they sell and are determined to sell the items no matter what.

It is a frightening example. Consumers mean nothing. The reputation of Kingston Technologies means nothing. The only thing that seems important is to SELL! Get the investment back. Those who sell these devices in the Orient know exactly what they are doing. Those who sell these false capacity items in the West show their ignorance, stupidity and their greed.

If you wish to by MP Players, usb flash drives or memory cards, you should stay away from eBay. If you want to buy at an independent internet site, be extremely careful. Frankly Techreporters advises that if you really need these items, buy in a local reputable retail store. It will cost more but you will be spared from potentially becoming a victim and the nightmare that follows from trying to save a little.

The story of uk-choice, ukmobi is a perfect example of what is out there on the internet waiting for you!

From SOSFakeFlash:

uk-choice is an eBay seller of Counterfeit (Fake) Kingston DataTraveler Flash USB drives. Registered in the United Kingdom, uk-choice also has an independent website, ukmobi. This seller is ignorant of the technology he sells. One of the worse examples the FrankenFlash Project has uncovered so far. You will find this example astonishing!

uk-choice-8GB as 4GB

Advertising at 8GB for this model,the photo is correct for the 8GB DataTraveler. Only they actually say the size is 4GB and in fact that is the tested capacity. The information on this fact has also independently been preserved.

Is it possible this seller simply has no understanding of the products he sells, or employee’s don’t?

On eBay uk-choice has released dangerous false capacity usb flash drives for sale. Furthermore, in using private actions for usb flash drives, uk-choice earns the classification of devious. This auction category is the most dangerous for nand based flash technology, it has allowed too many fraudlent sellers to victimize eBay members and to escape detection – increasing the number of victims.

As a result of complaint, what did uk-choice do?

1) Continue to list on eBay

uk-choice-changes 8GB to 4GB on eBay

But modify the title, yet show the same correct colour for the Kingston DataTraveler 8GB. Then further down in the listing shows:

uk-choice-changes DataTraveler 4GB Black on eBay

Sorry there never was a 4GB Kingston DataTraveler in Black!

2) Makes similar changes at their own website.

uk-choice-changes 8GB to 4GB

Their website: http://www.ukmobi.co.uk/Product_info.asp?id=1501

The FrankenFlash Project has never seen such stupidity or ignorance of technology. Both uk-choice and ukmobi SELL technology. Are you frightened? If not you should be!

The test results for this usb flash drive:

Warning: Only 7983 of 7984 MByte tested.
The media is likely to be defective.
3.9 GByte OK (8285056 sectors)
3.8 GByte DATA LOST (8064128 sectors)
Details:2.8 GByte overwritten (6048096 sectors)
0 KByte slightly changed (< 8 bit/sector, 0 sectors)
984.3 MByte corrupted (2016032 sectors)
1.5 KByte aliased memory (3 sectors)
First error at offset: 0×00000000fcd70000
Expected: 0×00000000fcd70000
Found: 0×00000000aa55aa55
H2testw version 1.3
Writing speed: 6.45 MByte/s
Reading speed: 18.6 MByte/s
H2testw v1.4

We doubt very much that this fraudster has been staying up all night performing low level formats to return these usb flash drives to the correct size of the actual flash storage chips. Any consumer who uses this flash drive would lose data after 3.9 GB without a corrective to return the usb flash drives to their actual capacity.

Even if uk-choice and ukmobi did this it is fraud. Why? Contact Kingston to ask their opinions!

uk-choice and ukmobi stubborn resolve to unload these dangerous devices to unsuspecting consumers demonstrates just how low some sellers can be. Anything to make money, anything to recover their capital. It doesn’t matter that they are harming Kingston Technologies reputation or causing data loss to consumers.

Profit at any cost, is the mantra uk-choice and ukmobi chant.

Posted in DataTraveler, Stories Fake Flash | Tagged: , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

HP DANIEL m220 FLASH MEMORY PEN DRIVE – Counterfeit 1GB, 2GB, 4GB, 8GB, 16GB, 32GB, 64GB, 128GB, 256GB

Posted by flashchiptutor on July 7, 2009

Beware HP DANIEL m220 FLASH MEMORY PEN DRIVE with this packaging and drive markings has been confirmed a counterfeit at SOSFakeFlash and of false capacity – A fake!

There is no evidence at any Official HP site, that such a usb flash drive model has ever been offered for sale or produced under the HP name. Furthermore, the largest capacity offered by HP at their own official sites is a capacity of 16GB. As for 128GB usb flash drives, only in June 2009 was the first consumer usb flash drive announced by Kingston Technologies – the DT200. It will be a long time before anyone offers a 256GB usb flash drive for sale. Currently the list price for 128GB is over $500 US for one unit.

Avoid being frauded or scammed. Do not buy this usb flash drive in the packaging shown, you risk data loss. Do not sell this usb flash drive! Contact HP first.

Instead, if you wish to buy an HP usb flash drive, visit an HP site first to see the models they offer. Write to them if you don’t see the model listed. If you wish to purchase on the internet, please visit the official brand name sites to see what they currently offer.

Recently a seller on eBay sold this model and was reported to SOSFakeFlash. The advertised size was 8GB but the real size of the flash chip was only 1GB.

Important Reading:

Report in to SOSFakeFlash if your testing confirms you have a false capacity device.

HP DANIEL m220

If you want to review all recent counterfeits found on eBay you can visit these two sites. :

The HP Brand name now joins: Kingston, Sony and Transcend in being counterfeited, for having false capacity sold by fraudsters using their brand’s name.

The FrankenFlash Project asks that everyone test any usb flash devices purchased for actual capacity against advertised capacity using the free program H2testw. If you are in doubt about whether your device is genuine or not, contact the brand name for assistance and validation. Most have been applying additional effort to assist consumers and prospective resellers. They need assistance from the public to identify those selling non genuine products. It harms their brand name, and it affects their sales.

It is a very difficult time in the nand flash chip industry – please help brand names and honest manufacturers to stay in business and keep their head above water during this turbulent economic time. Fraudsters and counterfeiters should not be tolerated – in any part of the world. Report the sources to the brand names being impacted.

Posted in Counterfeits HP | Tagged: , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Quick Detection Genuine or Counterfeit Kingston DT150 32GB DataTraveler Michael’s Guide

Posted by flashchiptutor on June 6, 2009

eBay is not a safe place to buy usb flash drives. eBay sellers in the orient get a lot of bad press. People are suspicious. But you can just as easily buy a fake or counterfeit flash drive from eBay in the United States, United Kingdom, Europe or even in Australia.

Reprinted from SOSFakeFlash.

The FrankenFlash Project has been busy publishing alerts and documenting Kingston DT150 DataTraveler counterfeits (see articles at the end ). First 32GB fakes appeared, then 64GB fakes and now 32GB fakes have spread to many eBay countries. The United States is a serious target.

What are the signs for a counterfeit 32GB DT150 DataTraveler fake? How can you tell? Michael shows you how.

Michael is a recent victim. He bought from an American eBay seller, tested his drive and found it to be a counterfeit. Immediately Michael created a dispute at Paypal and dialogued with the seller. The seller refunded him but Paypal would not release the funds, demanding he return the counterfeit. In the end both seller and buyer united against PayPal to solve the issue and make the refund come true. See http://sosfakeflash.wordpress.com/report-a-fake/comment-page-2/#comment-2094

So what does a counterfeit DT150 32GB DataTraveler look like?

kingston-usbplug-front 1

There is no laser etching on the usb connector front with serial information or model information. Kingston adds this as a counter measure to counterfeiting. Below is what this etching looks like for a genuine usb flash drive.

Serial-DT150-64GB

Kingston DataTraveler DT150’s are laser etched on their usb plugs with drive model information , size and a serial number too. This is a primary anti-counterfeiting defense. The one shown is for a DT150 64GB flash drive.

kingston-packaging-front 1

Kingston DT150 32GB packaging front. Note this is sealed packaging used by genuine kingston DT150 usb flash drives and not the dead giveaway of plastic snap pack. It also means that counterfeiters are able to duplicate more expensive packaging. kingston-usbplug-back 1

usb plug back of a counterfeit 32GB DT150.

kingston-packaging-rear 1

The counterfeit Kingston DT150 32GB packaging back with no serial information and upc code for it. All genuine Kingston DT150’s have this information inside the packaging.

Serial

It is unique, every single drive has a different serial. No two drives have the same one. It is missing here. In some counterfeits, you will find a serial label but when you check at Kingstons authentication site you will find it has already been used. It you find in a retail store, they all have the same serial number information on the back, stay away!

kingtson-led 1

Kingston DT150 32GB front LED. In every report so far, the LED does not work. Not surprising really. The insides are different for a fake. The circuit board and connectors are not the same, so how could they make the LED work? The LED is really “pretend”, just to look a bit like the real one. Otherwise everyone would recognize the fake immediately.

kingston-drive-front 1

Kingston DT150 32GB front. Many people also report the casing is made of lighter material than a genuine version and does not weigh as much.

kingston-drive-back 1

Kingston DT150 32GB back.

kingston-label 1

Kingston label is peeling from the casing.

If you bought a counterfeit usb flash drive on eBay please report in to SOSFakeFlash, using the Report A Fake Tab For Information.

Read: Kingston USB Flash Drives – Detect Counterfeits And Fakes – Product Verification

Additional information published by the FrankenFlash Project:

May 27, 2009 Genuine or Counterfeit Kingston DT150 64GB DataTraveler – Quick Detection – A Guide

May 25, 2009 eBay Counterfeit Kingston DT150 64GB DataTraveler USB Flash Drives Revealed – Case of eBay Seller fufu$$

May 20, 2009 fufu$$ And The Counterfeit Kingston DT150 64GB DataTraveler USB Flash Drives

May 19, 2009 celeste_689 Ebay Fake Flash Seller Alert – USA – Counterfeit Kingston DT150 64GB DataTraveler

May 18, 2009 fufu$$ Ebay Fake Flash Seller Alert – Australia – Counterfeit Kingston DT150 64GB DataTraveler

April 12, 2009 minggege99 Ebay Fake Flash Seller High Alert Deregistered – China. eBay and PayPal Try To Block Victims From Refunds For Counterfeit Kingston DT150 32GB DataTraveler 150

April 14, 2009 Counterfeit Ring – eBay Sellers minggege99, abestpartner0, and niuren2008

April 14, 2009 KINGSTON DT150 128GB USB Flash Drive Shows Up On eBay!

April 9, 2009 32GB Kingston DT150 32GB DataTraveler USB Flash Drive Counterfeits eBay Scandal – Wholesale Costs For Counterfeits

April 7, 2009 abestpartner0 – Did You Buy a 32GB Kingston DT150 32GB 32 GB DataTraveler 150 USB Flash Drive From This eBay Seller?

March 29, 2009 niuren2008 Ebay Fake Flash Seller High Alert Deregistered – China – Counterfeit DT150 32GB 32 GB Data Traveler 150

The first story:

March 16, 2009 Kingston Counterfeit Fake 32GB DataTraveler 150 USB Flash Drive Found On eBay

Posted in DataTraveler 150, Guides | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Genuine or Counterfeit Kingston DT150 64GB DataTraveler – Quick Detection – A Guide

Posted by flashchiptutor on May 27, 2009

Kingston DT150 64GB DataTraveler usb flash drive pensticks are being counterfeited – how can you tell? Recently fake Kingston DT150 64GB DataTraveler flash drives began to appear on eBay, it is growing with alarming speed! eBay is not the only place you will find them, they are available at internet wholesaling sites in the orient.

What is the quickest inspection you can do to find out if you bought a counterfeit? Kingston engaves it’s usb connector for the DT150 64GB DataTraveler.

DT150 Kingston DataTraveler

Here are other signs reported by victims when they compare counterfeits to the genuine Kingston DT150 64GB DataTraveler:

1. The main font is slightly (but definitely) different.
2. The actual USB plug is mounted upside down – such that the indicator light (which doesn’t work anyway) is facing downward when the drive is plugged in normally.
3. The lanyard hole is round as opposed the slightly square on the real Kingston.
4. Plastic moulding is poorly finished, with seams and visible.
5. The burgundy coloured outer finish is a very cheap & nasty stick on affair that doesn’t [quite] fit at the edge reliefs.

On a real one the USB connector is engraved and the back of the package has a second Bar Code sticker (see pictures below).

  1. The counterfeits don’t have a blue light (although there is a spot for it).
  2. The counterfeits are put together backwards, note on the real one pictured here you can see the copper path through the holes in the USB connector on the counterfeits its black from that side because they are backwards.
  3. The counterfeit is very light in weight, less half the weight.
  4. The best way to tell is the size of registered trademark symbol ® after the words DataTraveler on the front side that has 64GB on it, the counterfeit has a very small ®, about the size of one of the small dots on the surface, on a real one its over twice as big ®, see the pictures and compare.

This is the counterfeit and you can see how tiny the registered trademark symbol ® is compared to the genuine drive. Note that counterfeits unlike a genuine drive can come in several different variations.

The other thing that usually distinguishes genuine Kingston Flash drives from counterfeits is the packaging. Look at the back.

Genuine Kingston DT150 64GB DataTravelerBackCounterfeit Kingston DT150 64GB DataTravelerBack

Some counterfeits to have serial number information but you can easliy verify see: Kingston USB Flash Drives – Detect Counterfeits And Fakes – Product Verification Kingston can help with their detection site to determine if the Kingston DT150 64GB DataTraveler you bought is genuine.

If you bought a counterfeit (fake) from a seller on eBay please report in to SOSFakeFlash Report A Fake Tab

Additional reading:

Posted in DataTraveler 150, Guides | Tagged: , , , , , , , | 2 Comments »

Counterfeit Kingston DT150 64GB DataTraveler Found On eBay

Posted by flashchiptutor on May 19, 2009

A Counterfeit Kingston DT150 64GB DataTraveler usb flash drive has been found on eBay. It appears that now the 64GB capacity is no longer safe from those who wish to make a profit at the expense of Kingston Technologies.

If you are interested in selling Kingston DT150 64GB DataTraveler usb flash drives and you are planning to import from a wholesaler in the orient – Becareful! Ensure that you test any merchandise you receive for true capacity before you offer it for sale. Use a program such as H2testw 1.4 to do the testing, do not reply on what you might see in properties for an operating system!

With permission from SOSFakeFlash here is the alert they just issued against the seller to warn buyers.

fufu$$ is an eBay seller of Counterfeit (Fake) Flash USB drives. Based in Austrialia fufu$$ has been selling fake Kingston DataTraveler 150 usb flash pen sticks advertised at 64GB. This is the first time an eBay seller has been confirmed to sell counterfeits for the Kingston DT150 in 64GB. Sadly the Kingston DT150 64GB DataTraveler 150 is no longer safe from counterfeiters. Beware!

At the moment SOSFakeFlash does not know the details on how fufu$$ acquired these counterfeit Kingston DT150 64GB DataTraveler 150 usb flash drives. It is suspected that they came from one of those wholesaler sites in the Orient.

SOSFakeFlash STRONGLY ADVISES that any eBay seller who wished to sell any usb flash drives, MP Players, Memory Cards using Flash nand memory technology TEST THEIR MERCHANDISE prior to offering it for sale on eBay. A seller needs to inspect his wares. Relying on a quick operating system verification is not sufficient!

2205

Read: Kingston USB Flash Drives – Detect Counterfeits And Fakes – Product Verification

In a very short period of time fufu$$ earned a lot of money – this false capacity fakes advertised at 64GB commanded very high prices.

The story on eBay seller fufu$$ is not over, it could only just be beginning. Kingston’s reputation has suffered a great deal because their Brand name is being counterfeited. The drives and packaging look similar to the real items. People around the world are finding themselves with fake Kingston merchandise and this is not fair to Kingston. Consumer confidence is being impacted.

While people around the world end up with Kingston fake usb flash drives, do you know where the problem is the greatest?

India.

The damage being done to data and buyers in India is not well reported nor understood by most – they also learn the hard and painful way – through data loss and in many cases virus infections of their machines. Awareness is growing but far too slowly. Like everyone else they are wary of fake usb flash drives, that is why they chose the Kingston Brand in the first place, to avoid getting a fake!

fufu$$ is a local eBay seller. People bought from him because he was in Australia – to avoid getting a fake. It only shows once again, there is no safe country on eBay to buy usb flash drives from. You will find them just as easily in your own home eBay country as you will in the orient! It also demonstrates one more that buying brand names on eBay is not going to protect you from acquiring a fake. You can get a false capacity usb flash drive as a brand name, as you can from a generic usb flash drive.

Given the high prices paid for these counterfeit Kingston DT150 64GB on eBay SOSFakeFlash recommends you do not buy any Kingston DT150 usb flash drives on eBay. Not until eBay addresses the issue of false capacity usb flash drives for sale once and for all! This may seem unfair to some eBay sellers, but how can a buyer distinquish between a true brand name offering and a fake? In the 32GB to 64GB capacity range and the prices that people pay, the risk is just too great.

Important Reading:

Report in to SOSFakeFlash if your testing confirms you have a false capacity device.

Don’t forget to leave the calling card of “SOSFakeFlash” and “H2testw” in your feedback to help others. Do not change your feedback to get a refund – you will only create more victims. See what we have on file.

Posted in DataTraveler 150 | Tagged: , , , , , , , | 1 Comment »

How eBay Fake Flash Sellers Continue To Sell Fake MP Players, Memory Cards, Usb Flash Drive Pen Sticks – The Case of wholeselling-auctions

Posted by flashchiptutor on May 17, 2009

You might think that eBay will shut down fake flash sellers of MP Players, usb flash drives and Memory cards as soon as they are reported by ebay members. Not so. In some cases they can continue for years. At the very most eBay suspends them for a few months. One perfect example is ebay seller wholeselling-auctions. This seller has continued to sell for over one year. Selling generic usb flash drives, MP Players and memory cards,wholeselling-auctions rules eBay.

Sadly people searching for bargains in our global recession continue to expect low unrealistic prices. eBay seller wholeselling-auctions leverages buyer desires to unload false capacity devices. SOSFakeFlash recently issued an internet alert on this seller. FlashDriveFacts is republishing it to educate the public. Examine the items wholeselling-auctions has offered. So long as people wish to pay unrealistic prices, sellers such as wholeselling-auctions will make a lot of profit. Buyers will suffer the consequences.

SOSFakeFlash said:

wholeselling-auctions is an eBay seller of Counterfeit (Fake) Flash USB drives, MP Players and Memory Cards. Based in Hong Kong wholeselling-auctions is an old fake flash seller, now using private auction listings.

The first documented fake was in June 2008. wholeselling-auctions is very skilled and slippery in selling false capacity items. He knows exactly what he is selling. His dumps in volume. When the heat turns up, he will hide in his fake flash shell, quietly waiting for a new opportunity.

In the fall of 2008 wholeselling-auctions managed to elude SOSFakeFlash and victims by closing his fake flash shop. No alert was ever published, but he was added on the fake flash honour role – the list of eBay fake flash sellers.

Test anything you bought from this seller and make sure you leave immediate feedback! SOSFakeFlash is listing every fake model investigated and even those not yet confirmed. Just recently returned he has already sold more than 3000+ items. He needs to be removed from eBay permenently. Only eBayers can do that. eBay has done nothing for more than one year. Currently he has earned more than $60,000 US.

Please do not let him get away again!

Report in to SOSFakeFlash if your testing confirms you have a false capacity device. Every single item and count is needed. Make sure to raise a dispute with PayPal. If you funded with a credit card, you may wish to contact your credit card company to expidite a refund with a reversal. wholeselling-auctions demonstrates what is wrong with eBay and just how bold fake flash sellers are. Scroll through his feedback and contact positive feedback members – ask them to TEST. If you left positive and have discovered you were sold false capacity – do follow up feedback immediately to alert people to the truth!

Don’t forget to leave the calling card of “SOSFakeFlash” and “H2testw” in your feedback to help others. Do not change your feedback to get a refund – you will only create more victims and it will only allow a fake flash seller to continue, do you really want that?

wholeselling-auctions’s address:

ChiWa Wong

Room 718, Blk7. Sah Chuen Hse, Lek Yuen Est. Shatin N.T.
Hong Kong

To see wholeselling-auctions’s negative feedback Please Click Here – review the complete history to see how far back it goes!

May 14th, 2009 – we have 11 eBay listings confirmed fake .

Sold by wholeselling-auctions:

70

45

46

1917

71

47

13

2162

1916

Not yet investigated:

1915

196

195

194

1914

1912

1911

1920

1919

1918

1923

1922

1921

1913

1925

1924

Important Reading:

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Flash Drive Education, No Name Fakes | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

16GB Fake Counterfeit NoName Brand USB Flash Drives – A Classic Collection Found For Sale On The Internet

Posted by flashchiptutor on April 23, 2009

You can buy fake capacity usb flash drives cheap from internet wholesalers in the Orient. Price points to suit everyone. A classic collection of fakes in no name brand is being presented for your inspection. The FrankenFlash Project has studied the problem for one year. SOSFakeflash has battled fake flash sellers on eBay along with eBayers Against False Capacity Devices . The war on eBay against fake MP Players, USB Flash drives and memory cards rages on.

People know buying from an eBay seller in the Orient is risky for flash technology, but why do local eBay sellers get caught selling the same fake flash goods?

Local eBay sellers order from wholesaler sites in the orient, looking for low cost with high profit. Not realistic for flash based technology. Buy low, sell high. Using slogans such as “USA Seller”, “UK Seller ” they attract eBay members trying to avoid purchasing fake flash items. When buyers report problems these local sellers often claim “defective one”.

In outreach programs, many local sellers refused to test their merchandise. Others spouted techo babel about the items storing 32GB but you could only access 512MB at a time. Some tested and discovered in horror they had been selling fakes. These sellers removed listings immediately. In the United States and Oceana they would often contact buyers to refund and warn them. The concept of recall, refund is not as strong in Europe.

Knowingly or not, local eBay sellers are helping to unleash the 16GB usb flash plague that leads to data loss for buyers.

InspectorTech and FlashChipTutor did an review of internet sites and chose one sellers collection to present. It represents many of the fake usb penstick flash drives sold on eBay. As you review the prices, please note that the cost of a 16GB flash chip wholesale is over $29 US and is not expected to go lower in 2009. The wholesale cost for 8GB is approximately $13 US and you need two chips to have a total storage of 16GB. Not included in pricing is the rest that makes up a usb flash drive. Only the cost of the chips are given. Keeping this in mind, sellers need to make a profit, they don’t stay in business for long if they sell at a loss.

If you see any items advertising 16GB capacity that look like the items presented in this collection, stay clear. We ask everyone, given the prices for genuine flash chips, can this seller really deliver the promised capacity and stay in business? What are your thoughts and conclusions?

16GB-AT21Cost

16GB-AT31Cost

16GB-AT41Cost

16GB-AT51Cost

16GB-AT71Cost

16GB-AT81Cost

16GB-AT91Cost

16GB-AT101Cost

16GB-AT111Cost

16GB-AT121Cost

16GB-AT131Cost

16GB-AT141Cost

16GB-AT161Cost

16GB-AT171Cost

16GB-AT181Cost

16GB-AT191Cost

16GB-AT201Cost

16GB-AT211Cost

16GB-AT212Cost

This is not the cheapest seller they found. You can find them at less than half of this sellers price. Naturally you can expect the nand flash drive chip used to be even smaller in real capacity in order to deliver the lower price.

Ebay sellers do your homework! Your dream of buying cheap and selling high will not lead to profit paradise, as your buyers find you out, a fake flash hell is waiting. Please test any merchandise you buy from a wholesaler in orient before you offer it for sale on eBay and elsewhere. It is not just about money, it is about the consequences to buyers when they lose data they can not replace – ever! Selling false capacity usb drives is data poison. Be a responsible seller. If you aren’t willing to research the merchandise you plan to sell, stay AWAY FROM FLASH TECHNOLOGY!

For people interested in buying usb flash drives, please do your research too. After one year of effort the FrankenFlash Project has one message for you from victims of fake flash:

Spend a little more and buy a usb flash drive from a local reputable dealer. All victims have one conclusion – they wished they had! Many feel foolish. Others suffer the pain of information they have lost forever, all because they tried to save money. It is something they regret, many bitterly. Learn from their mistakes and take their advice.

Important Reading:

Report in to SOSFakeFlash if your testing confirms you have a false capacity device.

Posted in No Name Fakes | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Wholesale Prices For Fake Sony Kingston Counterfeit USB Flash Drives 16GB 32GB 64Gb 120GB 240GB 360GB 500GB

Posted by flashchiptutor on April 19, 2009

Why do eBay members and internet shoppers end up buying fake counterfeit Kingston DataTraveler and Sony MicroVault usb flash drives? Whose fault is it? The buyer? The reseller? The Wholesaler? The black market profiteer who has the flash chips reprogrammed to lie about their real size? It is obvious that the black market profiteer knows what he is doing. Almost all wholesalers do as well. Some resellers know, but quiet a few do not. Buyers are not aware and they pay the price.

The FrankenFlash Project is continuing on the mission to educate the Global Public about fake flash usb drives, MP Players and memory cards.

InspectorTech and FlashChipTutor, researched and prepared another shopping trip! Fish out your calculator and have it handy to punch in numbers. Unlike other shopping trips internet addresses and the sites visited are not revealed, instead screen captures are provided as evidence. The Project isn’t interested in promoting these sites or educating people on how to become a fake flash seller. Instead it is an outreach to resellers and consumers to promote awareness.

Here is a rough cost sheet for flash drive chips valid as of March 2009 and likely to remain for the rest of the year:

1GB = 3.38
2GB = 4.11
4GB = 6.61
8GB = 13.23
16GB = 29.41

These are the costs of the chips. It does not include the rest of the usb drive, MP Player or memory card – just the nand flash chip. Write the prices down on paper for 1GB, 2GB, 4GB. These are the most common true capacity sizes found when testing fakes. It doesn’t matter what the advertised size is. Remember for a usb flash drive the cost of rest of the drive can be about $2 to $5 US more. We don’t have the cost for a 512MB flash chip handy but it may be as low as $1 US.

16GBSonyBargain

16GBSonyVaultBargain-1

32GBSonyMicroVaultBargain-1

64GBSonyMicroVaultBargain-1

64GBSonyMicroVaultBargain-2

120GBKingstonDataTraveler

120GBSonyBargain

120GBSonyMicroVaultBargain-1

240GBSonyBargain

360GBSonyBargain

500GBSonyBargain-2

500GBSonyBargain-3

500GBSonyBargain

500GBSonyMicroVaultBargain-1

Every one of these usb flash drives is a counterfeit. Every Sony drive shown was never made by Sony. Only the Kingston may have been made by Kingston and repackaged – the lime model is 2GB real capacity. Do you know the true capacity found for the “Sony Counterfeits”? Not one drive has shown a capacity higher than 512MB! Surprise. They are using chips most likely cost less than $1 US Dollar. Just like eBay, there are the hidden costs that come with shipping and in many cases you can double the prices you see here. Then add import duties.

Who makes the profit? These items have sold on eBay for more than $60 US at resale to buyers who did not do their homework and trusted in the brand names. Unfortunately eBay is not the only place you will find these drives. They have evaded just about every country imported by resellers who find the prices so attractive and are dreaming of profit heaven. Soon they will discover the sad truth. Buyers will not spare sellers who sell them and many have contacted local law authorities.

Please do not buy these items. Do not import them into your country. If you are a buyer, report the seller to Kingston or to Sony immediately and give them all the details of the transaction including the sellers address information. If you bought any of these items on eBay, do not spare eBay, eBay seller or PayPal. There is no excuse for sellers not doing their product research before selling. eBay should patrol for these items instead of keeping their head in the sand. Paypal according to SOSFakeFlash needs to stop moaning and wiggling away from refunding buyers – take ownership for buyer protection or remove it all together as it is a sham in the eyes of victims.

Important Reading:

Report in to SOSFakeFlash if your testing confirms you have a false capacity device.

Posted in DataTraveler, Micro Vault | Tagged: , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments »

512GB Sony Vaio Counterfeit Fake USB Flash Drive – Red White Packaging With MicroVault Name

Posted by flashchiptutor on April 18, 2009

Beware Sony Vaio USB Flash Drive advertised as 512GB with a packaging label of 512GB is a counterfeit – fake! Sony never produced this usb pen stick flash drive – Vaio is for Sony’s Laptop brand, MicroVault is for Sony usb flash drives. Sold on wholesaler internet sites in China and Hong Kong. Often sold as “upgraded” – there is no such thing. This is the most common Sony fake sold on eBay. It rarely has a true capacity over 512MB. You can buy one for less than $21 US. Currently the highest capacity available to the consumer market is 64GB so where did this usb flash drive come from. Pluto? Shown below is just how far counterfeiters will go: Sony. Vaio. Microvault. All in one package. See the Counterfeit Sony Microvault series under categories at this site. Recognize the drive? Avoid being frauded or scammed. Do not buy this usb flash drive, you risk data loss. Do not sell this usb flash drive!

Important Reading:

Report in to SOSFakeFlash if your testing confirms you have a false capacity device.

512SonyVaioRedWhiteCost

512SonyVaioRedWhite

The fake shown above has been around a long time. It is the oldest Sony Counterfeit still being sold. Big false sizes, little real capacity chips.

Please report any internet listing to:

stopfakes@am.sony.com

Visit http://sosfakeflash.wordpress.com/ for the list of sites in the FrankenFlash Project. You will find plenty of evidence on this counterfeit line documented.

Posted in Micro Vault, VAIO | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

120GB Sony Vaio Counterfeit Fake USB Flash Drive – Silver Metal Black Box Packaging

Posted by flashchiptutor on April 17, 2009

Beware Sony Vaio USB Flash Drive advertised as 120GB with sophisticated black packaging it is a counterfeit – fake! Sony never produced this usb pen stick flash drive – Vaio is for Sony’s Laptop brand, MicroVault is for Sony usb flash drives. Sold on wholesaler internet sites in China and Hong Kong. Often sold as “upgraded” – there is no such thing. This model sold on eBay, targeting those with upscale tastes wanting large capacity usb flash drives. Avoid being frauded or scammed. Do not buy this usb flash drive, you risk data loss. Do not sell this usb flash drive!

Important Reading:

Report in to SOSFakeFlash if your testing confirms you have a false capacity device.

120GBSonyVaioBlackSilver

Notice how this drive has a tape marking the advertised capacity? Now would this make sense? Remember Vaio is laptop not flash drive.

If you see this for sale anywhere please contact Sony at:stopfakes@am.sony.com

Visit http://sosfakeflash.wordpress.com/ for the list of sites in the FrankenFlash Project. You will find plenty of evidence on this counterfeit line documented.

Posted in VAIO | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

32GB Sony Vaio Counterfeit Fake USB Flash Drive – Red Jewel – Green White Packaging

Posted by flashchiptutor on April 16, 2009

Beware Sony Vaio USB Flash Drive advertised as 32GB with packaging of VAIO Sony and a sticker of 32GB is a counterfeit – fake! This model sports a red plastic jewel in green white packaging. Sony never produced this usb pen stick flash drive – Vaio is for Sony’s Laptop brand, MicroVault is for Sony usb flash drives. Sold on wholesaler internet sites in China and Hong Kong. Often sold as “upgraded” – there is no such thing. This model sold a lot on eBay, targeting those who do not know the difference between MicroVault and Vaio, only that they are both famous. Sony would never use a sticker for it’s sizing. The span packaging is the famous tell tail sign of a counterfeiter. SOSFakeFlash has never seen a genunie capacity usb flash drive using this packaging yet. Avoid being frauded or scammed. Do not buy this usb flash drive, you risk data loss. Do not sell this usb flash drive!

Important Reading:

Report in to SOSFakeFlash if your testing confirms you have a false capacity device.

32GBSonyVaioGreenWhiteJewel

If you see this for sale anywhere please contact Sony at:stopfakes@am.sony.com

Visit http://sosfakeflash.wordpress.com/ for the list of sites in the FrankenFlash Project. You will find plenty of evidence on this counterfeit line documented.

Posted in VAIO | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »