# Fucking counterfeit memory cards **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [December 3, 2008, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-counterfeit-memory-cards/475456 "2008-12-03T04:30:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![DudleyGarrett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d9b06d/32.png) [@DudleyGarrett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DudleyGarrett)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2008, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-counterfeit-memory-cards/475456/21 "2008-12-03T22:35:28Z")
> [@sailor](#): > > I don’t know that it HAS to be but it seems that, in fact, he IS Chinese. > > What’s YOUR problem? I don’t see why his being Chinese is relevant. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2008, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-counterfeit-memory-cards/475456/22 "2008-12-03T22:44:11Z")
> [@Dead\_Badger](#): > > Just FYI, capacity isn’t the only thing that can be dodgy. A lot of the really cheap sticks use memory that isn’t rated for more than a few tens of write cycles (i.e. stuff that would normally be used as read-only memory on something much cheaper). So while the capacity may be correct, they die after only a few copying sessions. Hopefully that’s not the case with yours, obviously, I’d just be careful sticking any precious data on it for a while… I know that this is the pit, but… cite? ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2008, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-counterfeit-memory-cards/475456/23 "2008-12-03T23:17:54Z")
> [@mks57](#): > > I recently bought a real Kingston 4GB drive for $8. It works fine. Sometimes manufacturers have to clear out excess inventory and they would rather sell at a small loss today rather than sell at an even bigger loss next month. Yep. I just purchased three 4GB Sandisk Extreme III Compact Flash cards from B&H for $64 including shipping. Sandisk has a rebate for $60 (via a Visa Check Card) if you buy three 4GB Extreme IIIs from any qualified retailer (of which B&H is one). So, basically, free flash cards. ---
**Author:** ![Dead\_Badger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/848f3c/32.png) [@Dead\_Badger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dead_Badger)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2008, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-counterfeit-memory-cards/475456/24 "2008-12-03T23:48:25Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > I know that this is the pit, but… cite? [http://www.mways.co.uk/rom\_use\_only\_usb\_key.html](http://www.mways.co.uk/rom_use_only_usb_key.html) Amd those weren’t even knockoffs (although Goodmans is hardly a premier brand). They just used ROM-rated chips for thumb drives. Edit: and just to clarify, when I say “a lot of the really cheap sticks” I mean suspiciously cheap - I’m not talking about the majority of value brands or anything. ---
**Author:** ![Xan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/ac8455/32.png) [@Xan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xan)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2008, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-counterfeit-memory-cards/475456/25 "2008-12-03T23:50:09Z")
> [@DudleyGarrett](#): > > I don’t see why his being Chinese is relevant. It’s relevant because that’s where it came from. If he had been a British conman it would have been “limey motherfucker” ---
**Author:** ![Xan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/ac8455/32.png) [@Xan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xan)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2008, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-counterfeit-memory-cards/475456/26 "2008-12-03T23:52:25Z")
> [@mks57](#): > > It would cost money and they don’t care. I’ve dealt with some of these people. When you point out that they are selling fraudulent goods, they deny it or blame their supplier. And next week, they are still selling the same crap. The site I linked to says that ebay won’t do anything unless the copyright owners (In this case Sony) ask them to or unless law enforcement asks them to. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Fun\_Ball](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_fun_ball/32/17664_2.png) [@Happy\_Fun\_Ball](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Fun_Ball)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2008, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-counterfeit-memory-cards/475456/27 "2008-12-04T00:03:34Z")
> [@DudleyGarrett](#): > > I don’t see why his being Chinese is relevant. Because that is where he bought it from? Hell the guy may be an American ex-pat who lives in China. His description has nothing to do with race. ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2008, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-counterfeit-memory-cards/475456/28 "2008-12-04T00:20:44Z")
> [@Xan](#): > > The site I linked to says that ebay won’t do anything unless the copyright owners (In this case Sony) ask them to or unless law enforcement asks them to. That really sucks and I hope eBay get hit with a class action lawsuit from defrauded customers. It is really unacceptable. If you paid with credit card you may still have recourse? ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2008, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-counterfeit-memory-cards/475456/29 "2008-12-04T00:31:02Z")
> [@DudleyGarrett](#): > > I don’t see why his being Chinese is relevant. Because he was in China, you Virginian dipshit. China, the country, has very little recourse if you get scammed by someone who lives there regardless of their race. ---
**Author:** ![Xan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/ac8455/32.png) [@Xan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xan)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2008, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-counterfeit-memory-cards/475456/30 "2008-12-04T00:32:21Z")
> [@sailor](#): > > That really sucks and I hope eBay get hit with a class action lawsuit from defrauded customers. It is really unacceptable. > > If you paid with credit card you may still have recourse? I’m pretty sure I’m going to get my money back. I think paypal will refund my money even if the seller won’t. I’m considering what would happen if I went to the authorities with this. It’s not about the money anymore, it’s about the principle of the matter. ---
**Author:** ![Uvula\_Donor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e19adc/32.png) [@Uvula\_Donor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uvula_Donor)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2008, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-counterfeit-memory-cards/475456/31 "2008-12-04T00:36:58Z")
> [@DudleyGarrett](#): > > Jeez, why does it have to be a CHINESE conman, you fucking racist? I dunno, maybe because he bought it from someone in CHINA, you oversensitive crybaby cunt. ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2008, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-counterfeit-memory-cards/475456/32 "2008-12-04T00:46:09Z")
> [@Xan](#): > > I’m pretty sure I’m going to get my money back. I think paypal will refund my money even if the seller won’t. > > I’m considering what would happen if I went to the authorities with this. It’s not about the money anymore, it’s about the principle of the matter. I totally agree. Well, I guess if Paypal and ebay refund your money then they aren’t making money off the deal but I still think they should not allow this to happen. ---
**Author:** ![Hanna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b3f665/32.png) [@Hanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hanna)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2008, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-counterfeit-memory-cards/475456/33 "2008-12-04T03:29:00Z")
I fell for this too, except the seller was in California. Fake Sony memory sticks are rampant on eBay (I did not realize that when I bid), but after I got it my suspicions were aroused by the packaging. The auctions stated it was for a ‘generic’ stick (and I wrongly assumed generic was anything that was not a Sony-branded stick, and I’d had good luck with other brands in the past) and it came stamped ‘Sony’. Umm, why would they sell a Sony brand stick so cheaply (IIRC, a 2 GB stick was going for $50 at the time, I paid $20)? Because it was fake. It failed within 3 days and I lost a bunch of pictures from my digital camera. Luckily the seller refunded my money, but she denied it was fake. However, there are plenty of guides online on how to spot a fake MS, and this one was fake. ---
**Author:** ![Stan\_Shmenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Stan\_Shmenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Shmenge)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2008, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-counterfeit-memory-cards/475456/34 "2008-12-04T03:52:23Z")
Jerry Pournelle is reporting that big box stores are also selling bogus sticks. [http://www.jerrypournelle.com/mail/2008/Q4/mail546.html](http://www.jerrypournelle.com/mail/2008/Q4/mail546.html) ---
**Author:** ![neutron\_star](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/51bf81/32.png) [@neutron\_star](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neutron_star)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2008, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-counterfeit-memory-cards/475456/35 "2008-12-04T04:35:45Z")
> [@DudleyGarrett](#): > > I don’t see why his being Chinese is relevant. Because the U.S. isn’t globally known for for counterfeiting every product known to man - electronics in particular. China is. Hmm. Now I’m starting to wonder about this 4GB “Kingston” SDHC card that I got from Hong Kong-based dealextreme last week, especially since, based on comments on the site, it wouldn’t be the first time that they’ve sold fraudulent goods. ---
**Author:** ![DudleyGarrett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d9b06d/32.png) [@DudleyGarrett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DudleyGarrett)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2008, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-counterfeit-memory-cards/475456/36 "2008-12-04T11:54:17Z")
OK, **Xan** , **Eyer8** , **hajario** , and **Uvula Donor** , you’re on notice. Any more outbursts like that, and you’re getting a one-way ticket out of the Offenderati club. ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2008, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-counterfeit-memory-cards/475456/37 "2008-12-04T11:56:18Z")
> [@DudleyGarrett](#): > > OK, **Xan** , **Eyer8** , **hajario** , and **Uvula Donor** , you’re on notice. Any more outbursts like that, and you’re getting a one-way ticket out of the Offenderati club. What about me? Why am I being left out? ---
**Author:** ![DudleyGarrett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d9b06d/32.png) [@DudleyGarrett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DudleyGarrett)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2008, 11:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-counterfeit-memory-cards/475456/38 "2008-12-04T11:58:40Z")
> [@sailor](#): > > What about me? Why am I being left out? You too, squid! ---
**Author:** ![Xan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/ac8455/32.png) [@Xan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xan)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2008, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-counterfeit-memory-cards/475456/39 "2008-12-05T01:30:29Z")
One thing I need to mention is that the packing on fake memory sticks looks legit. The counterfeiters have done an excellent job copying official packaging. If I had seen it in the store I would have bought it and not thought anything of it. ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2008, 9:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-counterfeit-memory-cards/475456/40 "2008-12-05T09:24:11Z")
Tha packing of my “sony” pendrive was perfect . The only problem is that sony did not make pendrives in such shape. But it all looked perfect. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fucking-counterfeit-memory-cards/475456.md?page=1)