Fake MP Players – Steps In Checking Flash Memory Size

H2testw is the software tool most used by eBay victims of fake mp players to test and find the true capacity of MP Players that are fake. Finding the right software to repair an MP Player can be challenging. Some times it helps to have a look inside to see what the flash drive storage chip is and what the controller chip is. This is the first article to help you learn more about fake MP Players and what they look like inside.

This article is reprinted from SOSFakeFlash and uses a documented fake MP Player as an example.

SOSFakeFlash publishs a lot of consumer alerts on fake flash sellers prowling ebay for buyer victims. Evidence is collected and stored in a database. eBayer id’s, eBay item numbers, the model sold by the seller along with other important information.

It leads to alerts being issued on the internet and sellers being added to the famous eBay Fake Flash Sellers List. As time goes by the counts against sellers increase. Some times a victim will report in months after the fact, long after the ebay listings have disappeared. The project works hard to preserve information. Alerts are issued after the information has been collected, not before! Necessary given eBay’s recent behavior of shutting fake flash sellers down quickly to be able to remove all traces of lising information.

SOSFakeFlash, in this article will take you inside of a fake MP Player purchased on eBay and show you how it is possible to prove it is a false capacity, confirming what the program H2testw 1.4 reports in capacity testing.

Paypal likes to demand that victims return fake flash usb drives or mp players or memory cards to get a refund. “Return the crime to the criminal!” they order. On other occasions they will dismiss the test results of H2testw 1.4 and demand you find somebody at Southby’s to certify that you received a counterfeit.

The FrankenFlash Project has been in operation for over 14 months, they know something about fake mp players, usb flash drives and memory cards. The simple fact is, when the devices are taken apart – the truth is revealed. It only confirms what the program H2testw 1.4 reports. The secret? It lies in the actual flash drive nand memory chips in the device!

For most victims, taking apart a fake MP Player is not a task they feel up to. The latest contributor, Niko is up to the task and is presenting his findings for everyone to see! He has two fake MP Players to reveal to you, this is the first one sold by hitech2day. You will quickly see there is nothing “defective” here! It is clear deception on the part of fake flash sellers.

To PayPal and eBay, do pay attention! To fake flash sellers, watch out! We do our homework “dears “.

Listed on eBay hitech2day offered this model. Is it 16GB?

When Niko opened the drive this is what he saw:

So what did the flash drive chip for storage show?

It was a samsung 904 k9lbgo8uom pcbo CAK468P2

If you visit InspectorTech’s site you will see the following post: Samsung Nand Flash – How To Decode Flash Storage Chips To Find True Capacity

and if you scroll down you can visit the samsung link. Give this a try. http://www.samsung.com/global/business/semiconductor/partnumberDecoder.do

now enter the information characters for:

k9lbgo8uom

This is good practise for anyone with a samsung nand flash drive chip to try out!

There is no “m” available for the last character.

So click on search.

So here we see the real chip size. It is 32G bit. 8 bits is a byte so we need to divide by 8. That makes 32Gb /8 = 4GB.

So eBay seller hitech2day has lied about the true capacity! hitech2day was not selling a 16GB MP Player but a 4GB MP Player. eBay, PayPal are you still with us? Can you do the math and follow the evidence? Do you really think ebay buyers are complaining without cause? If ebay members can do their homework, why can’t you? It’s not rocket science, you know.

Now the controller chip for the MP Player difficult to read in the photo:

It is:

AK2025
8L014BA 1LP

We can’t tell you much about it at the moment.

eBay members are not imagining things about the fake mp players being sold on eBay.

The problem is very real! Both eBay and PayPal are very much aware of it. Only they prefer to show a blind eye. After all, the money is good! The FrankenFlash project has observed that eBay and PayPal do not intend to put a stop to the traffic in fake mp players being sold.

You don’t believe us? Please have a look at this:

Stop this Multi-Million Dollar Fraud on eBay

Just how far back in time does it go? If you are a victim of a fake flash MP Player, make sure that you register there. You can also register for other fake flash items too! Let it grow! And grow! The FrankenFlash Project collects information too, so do not forget SOSFakeFlash or to report in! Every item matters and counts.

SOSFakeFlash issue’s alerts on the internet to warn and assist victims. They can not and will not issue an alert without evidence. It is very powerful! It is a record and it stays forever. They also will NOT remove an alert! If a seller on eBay is caught, the alert stays!

Niko is currently searching for a solution to repair this fake MP Player. If one is found he will present it to everyone.

Keep an eye out for Niko’s other fake flash MP seller and his repair solution coming soon.

SOSFakeFlash published an alert on seller hitech2day, please read: hitech2day Ebay Fake Flash Seller Alert – China Fake MP Players

BEWARE of FAKE 8GB 16GB 32GB 64GB USB Flash Drives – The Most Famous And Oldest Fake Still Sold On eBay And Internet Sites

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!

Important Reading:

• USB Flash Drives Best Price Bargains Fair Value To Sell Or Buy 8GB 16GB 32GB
• Genuine Verses Fake Counterfeit USB Flash Drives – A Guide – USB Flash Chips Used – Grades A B C D
• Buying Kingston and Sony USB Flash Drives On eBay Safely – A Guide
• Kingston USB Flash Drives – Detect Counterfeits And Fakes – Product Verification
• H2testw 1.4 – Gold Standard In Detecting USB Counterfeit Drives

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:

• FakeFlashNews
• SOSFakeFlash

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

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.

Repairing Counterfeit Fake MP Players

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.

Buying On eBay – MP Players – Memory Cards – USB Flash drives – Why You should Use A Credit Card To Pay And Not Your Bank Account

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?