Suspect that you have a counterfeit (fake) MP Player, USB Flash drive or Memory Card that has been digitally altered to report a larger capacity than it really is? Known as “Fakes” you will find them for sale on eBay, on wholesaler internet sites and even in small retail stores around the world.
Real flash chips from genuine manufacturers have been are upgraded (reprogrammed) to lie about their real size to operating systems. Hynix Nand Flash chips have been targeted by those who engage in this devious activity. Only when one exceeds the real capacity of the chip, does data loss begin. Buyers trying to find why the devices fail frequently take them apart to find out why they don’t hold the advertised capacity.
The first step is to try and decode the chip being used. If the brand is Hynix you need to write down the information on the chip so you can find out what the real size is is for the chip.
The black market is busy changing the sizes of Flash nand chips with capacity of 512MB, 1GB, 2GB, 4GB and 8GB to report sizes from 4GB, 8GB, 16GB, 32GB, 60GB, 64GB, 120GB, 128GB, 240GB, 250GB, 260GB, 320GB, 360GB, 500GB, 512GB. So how can you find out the real size of the chip in your MP Player, USB Flash Drive or Memory Card?
Hynix use coding, where each position in the chip’s serial identification has special meaning. You can use the chart to check the real size. The decoding chart is found at Hynix Nand Flash. They also publish catalogues of the chips they make that you can download and consult. They have an excellent site, it is up to date and well maintained.
For capacity storage sizing, Gb is Gigabits. 8 bits make a byte. So if you see 32Gb it is 32/8 = 4GB. Always divide by 8. GB is Gigabytes. Usually advertised sizes for storage use GB – Gigabytes. This is what consumers understand best for storage. It is very important to understand this difference when you consult a manufacturers decoder. If the ‘b’ is in lowercase they are referring to bits, not bytes as most everyone expects.
Hynix also offers Data Books in pdf file format that list all the flash drive storage chips they have made. FixFakeFlash suggests you visit Hynix’s site get the most current information and download their pdf files:
You will find their decoder easy to use. Make sure that when you open your fake flash item that you copy all the information about the chip down correctly.
If you confirm that you have a fake – a digitally altered storage chip, please report it to Hynix and let them know that one of their chips has been reprogrammed into Frankenflash. The more information the genuine manufacturers receive the more it will help them to track and investigate.
If you have a digital camera, photograph the chip close up if you can so people can easily read the serial and also do one of the whole device. This is evidence you can submit in a legal claim or as additional information in a PayPal dispute issued for an eBay purchase.
Suspect that you have a counterfeit (fake) MP Player, USB Flash drive or Memory Card that has been digitally altered to report a larger capacity than it really is? Known as “Fakes” you will find them for sale on eBay, on wholesaler internet sites and even in small retail stores around the world.
Real flash chips from genuine manufacturers have been are upgraded (reprogrammed) to lie about their real size to operating systems. Micron Nand Flash chips have been targeted by those who engage in this devious activity. Only when one exceeds the real capacity of the chip, does data loss begin. Buyers trying to find why the devices fail frequently take them apart to find out why they don’t hold the advertised capacity.
The first step is to try and decode the chip being used. If the brand is Micron you need to write down the information on the chip so you can find out what the real size is is for the chip.
The black market is busy changing the sizes of Flash nand chips with capacity of 512MB, 1GB, 2GB, 4GB and 8GB to report sizes from 4GB, 8GB, 16GB, 32GB, 60GB, 64GB, 120GB, 128GB, 240GB, 250GB, 260GB, 320GB, 360GB, 500GB, 512GB. How can you find out the real size of the chip in your MP Player, USB Flash Drive or Memory Card?
For capacity storage sizing, Gb is Gigabits. 8 bits make a byte. So if you see 32Gb it is 32/8 = 4GB. Always divide by 8. GB is Gigabytes. Usually advertised sizes for storage use GB – Gigabytes. This is what consumers understand best for storage. It is very important to understand this difference when you consult a manufacturers decoder. If the ‘b’ is in lowercase they are referring to bits, not bytes as most everyone expects.
Micron’s website provides searches for the flash chips. Make sure that when you open your fake flash item that you copy all the information about the chip down correctly.
FixFakeFlash suggests you visit Micron’s site get the most current information using the links below:
If you confirm that you have a fake – a digitally altered storage chip, please report it to Micron and let them know that one of their chips has been reprogrammed into Frankenflash. The more information the genuine manufacturers receive the more it will help them to track and investigate.
If you have a digital camera, photograph the chip close up if you can so people can easily read the serial chip information and also photograph the whole device. This is evidence you can submit in a legal claim or as additional information in a PayPal dispute issued for an eBay purchase.
Suspect that you have a counterfeit (fake) MP Player, USB Flash drive or Memory Card that has been digitally altered to report a larger capacity than it really is? Known as “Fakes” you will find them for sale on eBay, on wholesaler internet sites and even in small retail stores around the world.
Real flash chips from genuine manufacturers have been are upgraded (reprogrammed) to lie about their real size to operating systems. Toshiba Nand Flash chips have been targeted by those who engage in this devious activity, though not has often as for other manufacturers. Only when one exceeds the real capacity of the chip, does data loss begin. Buyers trying to find why the devices fail frequently take them apart to find out why they don’t hold the advertised capacity.
The first step is to try and decode the chip being used. If the brand is Toshiba you need to write down the information on the chip so you can find out what the real size is is for the chip.
The black market is busy changing the sizes of Flash nand chips with capacity of 512MB, 1GB, 2GB, 4GB and 8GB to report sizes from 4GB, 8GB, 16GB, 32GB, 60GB, 64GB, 120GB, 128GB, 240GB, 250GB, 260GB, 320GB, 360GB, 500GB, 512GB. So how can you find out the real size of the chip in your MP Player, USB Flash Drive or Memory Card?
Toshiba use coding, but this information is not available to the public. You can visit their site to match your chip.
For capacity storage sizing, Gb is Gigabits. 8 bits make a byte. So if you see 32Gb it is 32/8 = 4GB. Always divide by 8. GB is Gigabytes. Usually advertised sizes for storage use GB – Gigabytes. This is what consumers understand best for storage. It is very important to understand this difference when you consult a manufacturers decoder. If the ‘b’ is in lowercase they are referring to bits, not bytes as most everyone expects.
FixFakeFlash suggests you visit Toshiba’s site get the most current information using the link below.
If you confirm that you have a fake – a digitally altered storage chip, please report it to Toshiba and let them know that one of their chips has been reprogrammed into Frankenflash. The more information the genuine manufacturers receive the more it will help them to track and investigate.
If you have a digital camera, photograph the chip close up if you can so people can easily read the serial and also do one of the whole device. This is evidence you can submit in a legal claim or as additional information in a PayPal dispute issued for an eBay purchase.
Would you like to see the oldest and still very popular fake usb flash drive sold on eBay and available at internet wholesaler sites in China? This drive normally doesn’t have a genuine flash drive capacity more than 2GB but it has been reprogrammed to false capacity sizes as high as 64GB!
Report in to SOSFakeFlash if your testing confirms you have a false capacity device.
It has been sold for several years on eBay, by many fake flash sellers. If you see a drive like this being sold – make your bidding fingers run in the opposite direction! There is something special about this particular fake besides the fact that more eBayers have been stung by this one model then any other. This is the false capacity usb flash drive that started the war on fake flash selling. If you are reading articles at one of the FrankenFlash Project websites – you can thank this model.
One of the good things about this fake is that it is easy to take a part to decode the flash chip and the controller chip. It usually has an icreate controller but the flash drive chips differ. It has been sold for very low prices and very high prices. Much depends on the size of the false capacity. For example if you want it to pretend to be 32GB this is a wholesale price being offered at a site in the orient for resellers.
The seller says there are 8 4GB flash chips inside. Hmmm.
The circuit board is 2 inches long. So how could you get 8 4GB flash chips and the controller chip to fit even if you use both sides? Old flash drives generally have a flash drive chip 3/4 inch long. Even if they are 1/2 inch long each, there is no place for the controller chip. The icreate chip is 1/4 inch in length. Flash drive chips need a distance from each other for soldering. To make 8 chips seen as one, you need a very advanced controller and that would cost $
It has been sold under so many descriptions and so many sizes. In the past, listings would boost about it being a Samsung flash drive. 50% of fake flash sellers on eBay still offer this ancient. It can be ordered wholesale in large quantities for as low as $2.5 Small wonder then that it continues to be present on eBay.
Use it at it’s false capacity and you will lose data.
Victims complain it stores files in Chinese. Please, nobody is kidding here but people unfamiliar with computers and technology have said this and not once either. No it does not store files in Chinese, but the swiggles and strange characters one often sees is the result of corruption once you exceed the true capacity. Not only that, you can not delete the files or folders. You have to reformat it in the operating system to begin another cycle of fake flash data loss.
The good news is that this is one of the easiest fakes to repair. And once repaired to it’s tiny real capacity it behaves.
This classic of classics will be around for a long time to come. It is very inexpensive for resellers, the temptation just too great. Mostly you will find it at 16GB these days. The higher false capacities are just too obvious to most and real 32GB and 64GB flash drives can be found under $150 these, with rebates from genuine brand, a lot less.
So if you see this drive advertised for more than 2GB in size stay clear. By the way, it comes in true capacities as low as 512MB…
If you want to review all the counterfeits found on eBay you can visit these two sites. Just type in the word Kingston in the search box to see what is currently documented:
Due to heavy bandwidth and the recent attack on http://ebay.dybteam.com/ the FrankenFlash Project has removed this website.
It addressed Bayers who suffered from fake and false capacity MP Players, USB flash drives and Memory Cards Purchased on eBay. Specializing in providing translation to reach the global community, eBayers Against False Capacity Flash will be missed.
It is not easy to fight the the issue of fake MP Players, Memory Cards and Usb flash drives. Fraudsters and scammers are finding their sales decreasing. That is what the project has in mind. Eliminating the traffic in false capacity fake MP Players, Usb Flash drives and MP Players. The profits made by these scammers and fraudsters is alarming. The damage being done to buyers with lost information is terrible. It is a war. Fake Flash needs to be stopped. eBay is the first area to be addressed. Fortunately there are team members who have a solid IT background working in the project.
Who has contributed to the fight? Everyone. From housewife and causal computer user, to accountants and IT professionals. Teenagers, Truck Drivers and Octogenarians – all have tried to give a helping hand. It’s a global problem. It needs to be stopped. The project has replaced http://ebay.dybteam.com/ with:
we don’t intend to let the international community down. Ebayers Against Fake Flash Devices II has the same functionality of the old site. Translation will be slower but it is now offered in 42 languages. It offers caching but will only translate 1 article every 11 minutes. In time the cache will build to provide everyone with the information they need in languages they understand.
MP Players are hot on eBay! Beware. 8GB and 16GB Players with MP3 or MP4 are likely to be fakes or counterfeits if you bought at low prices. If you are lucky your MP player will be 2GB or 4GB – not more.
Fake MP Players on eBay are an old story and it’s been around for several years. Every day there is a new crop of victims. Why? Bargain hunting! SOSFakeFlash has no choice but to issue this warning. Do not buy any MP Players on eBay advertised as 8GB or 16GB. Period! Stop looking for bargains! You are not going to get a real 8GB or 16GB at $25 to $50.
We know that economic conditions are hard, but you need to be realistic about paying fair prices. If you want to pay less and get more – welcome to fake flash hell!
You might find SOSFakeFlash’s words harsh. They are. Too many people are being frauded and few get their money back. Many eBayers are conned into believing their MP Player is “defective”. There is nothing defective in reprogramming a flash drive chip to lie about it’s size!
Make sure to look at the reference reading presented below for additional information and advice. Also see the list of eBay Sellers caught selling fake MP Players as of April 4th, 2009 at the end of this article
Most of the Fake MP Players are coming from sellers in Hong Kong and China. There appear to be two distinct rings operating under many id’s. It is a fake flash collective. Beware that due to SOSFakeFlash’s internet presence eBay sellers are now listing advertising local countries. You will only realize the truth when your MP Player arrives.
The profits from selling fake MP Players is mind numbing! Current estimates are 1 in a 250 sold leads to a PayPal dispute, that is 249 ahead. Both eBay and fake flash seller are dancing with fake flash profit joy – at your expense!
Avoid the misery of filing disputes. The pain grows when eBay quickly suspends the seller, whoops all listings gone, all evidence gone. You will have to crawl under the hood of your Paypal account and do a lot of extra digging to file a dispute when a seller is deregistered.
eBay and PayPal are not not going to make it easy for you. The harder the better. After all they don’t want to refund you. eBay has never warned members who bought from a fake flash seller and they never will. Why? It means admitting to the fact they have a problem.
Never pay for an MP Player using your bank account, use your credit card with PayPal. It gives you a better chance of recovering your money. PayPal hates it. Fake flash sellers will hate it more! PayPal may say they can’t refund you because they need to get to the fake flash sellers funds. Funny how quickly they will claw back the money from the fraudster when the credit card company does a reversal!
For now, do not buy MP Players at 8GB 16GB with MP3 MP4 on eBay. Save up until you have enough to buy a real one locally. There are just too many fakes. eBay is not cleaning things up, instead they registering sellers so they can remove listings and all traces of what these scammers sold! The fraud is astonishing.
If you bought an MP Player on eBay, tested it and found out you have a fake, make sure you leave a negative immediately! File a dispute afterwards. Never withdraw your negative in exchange for a refund. Never return a fake with the hope or promise of your refund. Also be a good citizen and do your part – contact other buyers who left positive feedback and get them to test! If you left positive feedback – do follow up feedback indicating that you really bought a fake! Add in your feedback the web address sosfakeflash.wordpress.com – our calling card and message to fake flash sellers and to assist other eBayers trying to find the truth and get help!
Are you thinking of obeying PayPals demands to return fake MP Players, Memory Cards or usb flash drives purchased on eBay from a fake flash seller to get a refund? SOSFakeFlash has published many articles on why you should not. We think you should read the latest article just published by FakeFlashNews.
The FrankenFlash Project has a new site that will be joining the project very soon. FLASHDRIVEFACTS at http://flashdrivefacts.wordpress.com/ will address consumer education on the subject of flash technology for MP Players, USB Flash Drives and Memory Cards. Chaired by Flashchiptutor, it will expose counterfeit and fake items available on the international market.
Why is there a need for a new site? How can you help?
Did you buy an 8GB, 16GB, 32GB, 64GB, 120GB or 128GB Kingston USB Flash drive you think is a fake or counterfeit? Countries in Asia are very vunerable to these counterfeit items, but Europe and even North America are experiencing an increase of these items circulating for sale. What does Kingston have to say? Is there a tool you can use to check quickly to determine if you have an authentic item? Yes Kingston is aware of the problem and they have set up a web page to help. Yes there is a tool. SOSFakeFlash also found technical support numbers you can call.
SOSFakeFlash has been asked by victims of fake and counterfeit MP Players purchases – how can I restore to the real capacity?MP-Archer has provided some very useful information to help you begin your journey to return your MP Player back to it’s orignal Capacity.
SOSFakeFlash at the request of victims who bought False Capacity MP Players, Memory Cards and USB Flash Drives has just released a list of Safe Sellers on eBay. Sellers who sell true capacity items and stand behind their products!
This is a new program lauched by the FrankenFlash Project. eBay members may nomiate sellers. eBay sellers may apply. The list is dynamic and will be updated. A similar program will be launched for internet sites soon.
FixFakeFlash – solution ATJ209X ACU75XX controllers identified with VID = 10D6 PID = 1101, fake MP Players. The MP Player tested and repaired was from the high volume eBay Fake MP Player johnnymagasin. Advertised as 8GB, it’s true capacity was 1GB. This fake MP Player can be repaired using the following information. The steps outlined in this solution may work for other MP Players as well.
The evidence gathered in the last eight months by the FrankenFlash Project and their groups indicates that buying MP Players, USB Flash Drives and Memory Cards is a very risky business. You will find more than enough documented evidence at sosfakeflash.wordpress.com.
So if you are going to bid and buy on eBay why use a credit card instead of bank account funding?
FixFakeFlash – solution AU6983 controller identified with VID = 0000 PID = 7777, fake flash drive. The drive tested and repaired was from eBay Fake Flash Seller powerrangolee. Advertised as 16GB, it’s true capacity was 4GB. This fake flash drive can be repaired using the following information. It can also apply to other flash drives having the same identification.
SOSFakeFlash, part of the FrankenFlashProject would like to thank victims of fake flash devices for their contributions and efforts to fight this horrible plague of data loss – it is Global.
You can and you are making a difference!
By reporting your fakes to SOSFakeFlash it is possible to publish an alert on the internet!
By posting us in forums, we can see new traffic coming into the main site – wonderful! More people helped! Spread the news. It helps everyone.
By contributing solutions to fixing fake flash devices you help others to make a little safe flash device – an innocent no longer FrankenFlash!
One of eBay’s Fake Flash victims created a neat visual guide after reporting his fake to SOSFakeFlash. It is a wonderful example for anyone interested in repairing a fake flash drive and seeing how the tools work before trying to carry out a repair. Even if you don’t have an AMECO or Micov based controller chip on your fake flash drive, it can help you prepare. Many reflashing tools are similar in their interface and the general principals to operate.
The fixfakeflash.wordpress.com site has some known solutions available. The most important information is the controller chip vendor for the flash item, known as the “Chip Part-Number” with ChipGenius.
If you don’t find a solution that works visit the main site for incoming information repair solutions. sosfakeflash.wordpress.com
The FrankenFlashProject’s – eBayers Against False Capacity Flash website is temporarily closed until January 2009. The demand for information on Fake Flash devices on eBay has been too high during the month of December 2008. We blew the bandwidth quota. Arraugh!
Fortuantely SOSFakeFlash is the main site, eBayers Against False Capacity Flash is a mirrow with additional features and translation for our international members. We apologize for the inconvience.
If you need translation please use google’s translation facilities against SOSFakeFlash in the interim. We operate like most volenteer consumer sites – on a shoe string.
We are looking into adding more independent sites outside of WordPress.com as we are limited in the features we can offer. WordPress.com is terrific but they have to limit themes and features for compatibility – they upgrade and maintain the sites they host and free of cost.
Do you want more sites with additional features? If so please leave a comment. We are a public service and have avoided any commercial ploys – volunteers are exactly that, volunteers. They have to fund expenses from their own pockets. We would like to know how you feel about us adding a donate button on outside sites to help fund the web space hosting and costs we are incurring. For example :one of our sites is temporarily closed for the moment because we exceeded bandwidth.
FixFakeFlash – solution MXT6208 controller identified with VID = 2008 PID = 2018 or VID = 2000 PID = 2008, fake flash drives. A total of 9 drives were tested and repaired. Advertised as 8GB, the true capacity varied from 680MB to 1.9GB (formatted). These fake flash drives can be repaired using the following information:
FixFakeFlash – solution MW6208E controller identified with VID = 2001 PID = 2008, fake flash drive. The drive tested and repaired was from eBay Fake Flash Seller xiaotian_abc. Advertised as 8GB, it’s true capacity was 1GB. based fake flash drive can be repaired using the following information.
FixFakeFlash Inspectortech 