A free tool to quickly detect counterfeit flash (2017)

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Counterfeit USB sticks, SD cards, and SSDs—often sold via major marketplaces with wildly inflated “2TB” or “10TB” claims—are far more common than many buyers realize, frequently reporting far less real capacity and silently corrupting data once their true limits are exceeded. Commenters highlight tools like f3 and ValiDrive that can detect and “correct” fake capacities, share experiences with scams on Amazon, AliExpress, and eBay, and argue that even brand-name products from third‑party sellers can’t be trusted without verification. Many conclude that the only safe approach is to buy name‑brand storage from reputable channels and rigorously test any new flash media before relying on it.

Prevalence of Counterfeit and Bad Flash

  • Many anecdotes of “large” cheap SSDs/SD/microSD/USB drives (e.g., 64 GB, 580 GB, 10 TB, multi‑TB USB sticks) turning out to be much smaller devices with spoofed firmware.
  • Typical failure modes: writes succeed up to real capacity, then silently fail, corrupt, or discard further data.
  • Some fakes even embed a small microSD card inside a 2.5" SSD shell, sometimes with added weight to feel “real.”
  • Counterfeits are seen on AliExpress, Amazon (including “no‑name” brands and counterfeit big brands), eBay, and even via local resellers.

Testing & Diagnostic Tools

  • f3 (including f3probe --destructive and capacity‑correcting features) is praised for quickly revealing true capacity.
  • Other tools mentioned: H2testW, Validrive (Windows GUI, non‑destructive), badblocks, SMART tests, memtest86, prime95, OCCT, iperf3.
  • Some note that very “clever” scam firmware can evade superficial quick tests; full write‑and‑verify beyond claimed capacity is considered more reliable.

Marketplace Behavior, Refunds, and Chargebacks

  • AliExpress: reports of easy refunds for obvious fakes (sometimes without returns) if video or measurement proof is supplied.
  • Amazon: some users report refunds but complain that fraudulent listings remain live; co‑mingling of stock is seen as a major risk.
  • Debate over chargebacks: one side views them as a last‑resort refund mechanism; another stresses they also pressure merchants but are unnecessary if sellers already refund.
  • Some argue large marketplaces knowingly tolerate a “controlled” level of counterfeit trade because it remains profitable.

Buying Strategies and Brand Trust

  • Strong advice to avoid “too good to be true” capacities/prices and to buy name‑brand storage from reputable or physical retailers.
  • Others point out even brand‑name products can be counterfeited or downgraded, especially via third‑party sellers.
  • Suggestions: buy surplus hardware from data centers, universities, or government surplus auctions; verify sellers are official or “quasi‑official.”

Usefulness and Limits of Capacity Correction

  • Some view f3’s capacity‑correction feature as unsafe and would discard any proven fake.
  • Others deliberately buy cheap “oversized” cards expecting them to be smaller (e.g., ~50–60 GB real) and then cap partitions to that size for low‑risk, read‑mostly uses.