Counterfeit MicroSD Cards

This page aims to detail the issues surrounding counterfeit MicroSD cards, as well as MicroSD cards sold under the brand name of real companies that do not sell MicroSD cards (known as “brandjacking”).

It’s important to avoid buying counterfeit MicroSD cards as you may experience data loss & slow performance.

All information on this page generally also applies to full size SD cards.

(Overview) Checklist to avoid fake MicroSD Cards #

• ✓ Always buy from a well known trusted retailer (Some brands also operate their own online stores).
• ✗ Avoid AliExpress, Temu, Shein and Wish for MicroSD cards.
• ✓ Always go for name brand MicroSD cards.
• ✗ Avoid brands you do not recognise.
• ✓ Check that the MicroSD is a real model the brand sells.
• ✗ If the price is too good to be true, it probably is too good to be true.

If you suspect that you may have a fake MicroSD card, you can test it by following the instructions laid out in the Testing a MicroSD Card section of this page.

Fake MicroSD Cards #

Fake MicroSD cards are becoming increasingly common on online marketplaces.

They will typically look similar to genuine MicroSD cards and will be fakes of popular name brands. They’re often paired with an attractive price and fake reviews (or simply reviews from users who do not realise they have purchased a fake MicroSD card).

Counterfeit MicroSD cards will often have low-quality markings on the label, the incorrect font or be misaligned. If they come in branded packaging, the packaging will often be a low-quality photocopy, have the incorrect font and/or have spelling mistakes.

Below is an example of a genuine Samsung MicroSD card compared to a counterfeit. The stars highlight the differences:

^{Image from Everything But Stromboli}

Below is an example of a genuine Sandisk MicroSD card compared to a counterfeit. The font & print quality highlight the differences:

^{Image from sthetix on X}

Fake capacities and performance #

Fake MicroSD cards will often use low-quality flash memory with a fraudulently spoofed capacity. What will appear as a 512GB MicroSD card on your computer may actually be 64GB instead or maybe even less. Their performance is often quite poor too, not meeting their advertised read and write speeds. Its common these days to see cards marked as 2TB being sold for bargain basement prices, these are absolutely not genuine and users have reported their real capacity being as low as 8GB.

The only way to identify whether or not your MicroSD card is fake is to test it. There are instructions at the bottom of this page detailing how you can do just that. Looking at the MicroSD card’s properties will not reveal the fraud. Similarly, reformatting or repartitioning a fake MicroSD card will not “fix” its capacity. The card has specifically been manufactured to always show its fake capacity. It cannot write data past its real capacity and thus should not be trusted with important data. Even if you know its real capacity, you cannot guarantee that your data is safe.

This video outlines a lot of important information when it comes to counterfeit MicroSD cards and their capacities/performance. It was made back in 2023; however, the information it contains is still true today.

If you want to ensure what you are buying is genuine, try to buy directly from the manufacturer’s website or one of their authorised sellers which many list on their website.

Fake brands that don’t exist #

Often called “no-name” or “generic” MicroSD cards, these are MicroSD cards sold under random brand names, sometimes made to sound similar to reputable brands (e.g., “SanDian”). These cards are typically the same as counterfeit cards, encompassing low-quality flash storage and/or a fake capacity and should also be avoided. It’s always important to only purchase brands you recognise.

No-name MicroSD cards are commonly included with preloaded Nintendo DS flashcarts and likewise use low quality flash storage and will typically stop working or become defective in a short period of time.

Below are some examples:

^{These examples were spotted on several online marketplaces.}

Brandjacking #

Brandjacking is a tactic used by counterfeiters to sell a product fraudulently using the brand of a real company when that brand does not sell the product in question. This tactic fools consumers into believing they are buying a name-brand product. This is very common on online marketplaces, such as AliExpress and Amazon.

The below brands DO NOT sell MicroSD cards. Any MicroSD cards bearing these brand names are employing brandjacking and are counterfeit:

• Xiaomi
• Mi
• Huawei (Huawei only sell their own proprietary “NM Card” Memory cards for certain smartphones).
• Sony (Sony only sell professional/industrial grade SD cards and have discontinued their MicroSD cards).

Examples of MicroSD cards using brandjacking:

^{These examples were spotted on several online marketplaces and are all unofficial and will likely have a fake capacity and poor quality memory.}

There are some cases where a brand will sell MicroSD cards, but counterfeit cards posing as non-existent models exist on online marketplaces, usually bearing a generic design or the design of another brand. It is advised to check the manufacturer’s website to ensure they sell the displayed model if you are unsure.

Where to buy genuine MicroSD cards? #

There are various ways to ensure you are getting a genuine product.

• Always buy from a trusted & reputable big name retailer.
• Avoid buying MicroSD cards from online shopping marketplaces such as AliExpress, Wish, Temu & Shein.
• Some name brands like Sandisk, Samsung and Kingston have official online stores to buy genuine MicroSD cards directly from them. Other name brands will typically have a list of authorised sellers on their website.
  • Sandisk: Online Store — Authorised Sellers
  • Samsung: Online Store
  • Kingston: Online Store
  • Lexar: Authorised Sellers
  • Kioxia (Formerly Toshiba): Authorised Sellers
  • This isn’t a complete list, it is here to serve as an example.
• If you are buying from Amazon, ensure the product listing states that it is both “Sold” and “Shipped” by Amazon. “Fulfilled by Amazon” but sold by a different seller does not guarantee you will get a genuine product.

Testing a MicroSD Card #

This section contains instructions on testing your MicroSD card for fake storage. Select the operating system you are using below to find specific instructions for your machine.

$ f3read /Volumes/SD\ CARD
F3 read 9.0
Copyright (C) 2010 Digirati Internet LTDA.
This is free software; see the source for copying conditions.

                  SECTORS      ok/corrupted/changed/overwritten
Validating file 1.h2w ... 2097152/        0/      0/      0
Validating file 2.h2w ... 2097152/        0/      0/      0
Validating file 3.h2w ... 2097152/        0/      0/      0
[...]
Validating file 28.h2w ... 2097152/        0/      0/      0
Validating file 29.h2w ... 2097152/        0/      0/      0
Validating file 30.h2w ...  229312/        0/      0/      0

  Data OK: 29.11 GB (61046720 sectors)
Data LOST: 0.00 Byte (0 sectors)
               Corrupted: 0.00 Byte (0 sectors)
        Slightly changed: 0.00 Byte (0 sectors)
             Overwritten: 0.00 Byte (0 sectors)
Average reading speed: 89.22 MB/s

# f3probe /dev/sdb
F3 probe 9.0
Copyright (C) 2010 Digirati Internet LTDA.
This is free software; see the source for copying conditions.

WARNING: Probing normally takes from a few seconds to 15 minutes, but
         it can take longer. Please be patient.

Probe finished, recovering blocks... Done

Good news: The device `/dev/sdb' is the real thing

Device geometry:
                 *Usable* size: 29.12 GB (61071360 blocks)
                Announced size: 29.12 GB (61071360 blocks)
                        Module: 32.00 GB (2^35 Bytes)
        Approximate cache size: 0.00 Byte (0 blocks), need-reset=no
           Physical block size: 512.00 Byte (2^9 Bytes)

Probe time: 1'22"

$ f3read /media/deletecat/1B03-2A0A/
F3 read 9.0
Copyright (C) 2010 Digirati Internet LTDA.
This is free software; see the source for copying conditions.

                  SECTORS      ok/corrupted/changed/overwritten
Validating file 1.h2w ... 2097152/        0/      0/      0
Validating file 2.h2w ... 2097152/        0/      0/      0
Validating file 3.h2w ... 2097152/        0/      0/      0
[...]
Validating file 28.h2w ... 2097152/        0/      0/      0
Validating file 29.h2w ... 2097152/        0/      0/      0
Validating file 30.h2w ...  229312/        0/      0/      0

  Data OK: 29.11 GB (61046720 sectors)
Data LOST: 0.00 Byte (0 sectors)
               Corrupted: 0.00 Byte (0 sectors)
        Slightly changed: 0.00 Byte (0 sectors)
             Overwritten: 0.00 Byte (0 sectors)
Average reading speed: 89.22 MB/s

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