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 “brand fraud” or “brandjacking”).

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

Counterfeit MicroSD cards have become increasingly common on online marketplaces more recently, often being sold at prices significantly lower than genuine products. With flash storage prices currently high due to various market factors, these suspiciously cheap listings can appear particularly attractive. If a MicroSD card is significantly cheaper than comparable products from reputable retailers, it may be counterfeit or have a falsely advertised capacity.

(Overview) Avoiding fake MicroSD cards #

✓ DO:

• Buy from reputable retailers or official manufacturer stores.
• Choose established MicroSD card brands.
• Check that the advertised model exists on the manufacturer’s website.

✗ DON’T:

• Buy MicroSD cards from AliExpress, Temu, Shein or Wish.
• Trust unknown, generic or suspicious brands.
• Go for prices that seem too good to be true.

Be cautious when buying from Amazon or eBay. Check who is actually selling the card, not just the marketplace hosting the listing. 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 #

Counterfeit MicroSD cards often copy products from well-known manufacturers, using similar labels and packaging to appear genuine. The listings for these MicroSD cards may also have fake or AI-generated reviews, alongside positive feedback from buyers who have not yet discovered that their cards are counterfeit.

Common warning signs include poor print quality, incorrect fonts, misaligned labels and spelling mistakes. Counterfeit packaging may also appear blurry, poorly printed or noticeably different from genuine products.

Below is a comparison between genuine and counterfeit Samsung MicroSD cards. The stars highlight the differences:

^{Image from Everything But Stromboli}

Below is a comparison between genuine and counterfeit SanDisk MicroSD cards, highlighting differences in font and print quality:

^{Image from sthetix on X}

Fake capacities and performance #

Counterfeit MicroSD cards often use low-quality or QC-rejected flash memory and may report fake capacities. For example, a 512GB card might only contain 64GB, or even 4GB according to more recent user reports. These cards may initially work normally, but exceeding their actual capacity can cause data corruption or data loss. Performance may also be significantly slower than advertised.

Checking the card’s properties or reformatting will not reveal its true capacity, as the card’s controller chip reports a false size and it cannot be changed. Follow our testing instructions to check for this. However, not all counterfeit or off-brand cards have fake capacities. Some provide their advertised storage but remain unreliable, with several users reporting failures after just weeks or months of use.

This video by Atomic Shrimp explains counterfeit MicroSD cards, misleading specifications and fake reviews. Although it was produced in 2023, the information remains relevant today.

Fake and unknown MicroSD brands #

Some MicroSD cards are sold under obscure or invented brand names, often referred to as “no-name” or “off-brand” cards. These brands typically have little or no established reputation, and some imitate the names or designs of well-known manufacturers.

Examples commonly found on online marketplaces include Microdrive, Microdata, SanDian, ShanDian, Somnambulist and Olevo, with new names appearing regularly.

These cards may contain low-quality flash memory, falsely advertised capacities or both. While not every unfamiliar brand is necessarily fraudulent, we recommend sticking to established manufacturers to reduce the risk of purchasing unreliable or counterfeit storage.

Below are some examples:

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

Brand fraud #

Brand fraud, also known as “brandjacking”, involves selling counterfeit products under the names of established companies, often ones that don’t officially sell the products being advertised. These cards are common on online marketplaces and may contain low-quality flash memory, fake capacities or both.

Brands that do not officially sell MicroSD cards #

The following brands are commonly used on counterfeit MicroSD cards, despite not officially selling them under these names:

• Xiaomi
• Mi
• Huawei

MicroSD cards sold under these brands are typically counterfeit.

Brands commonly used on counterfeit cards #

These companies have previously sold genuine MicroSD cards, but counterfeit products using their names are widespread:

• Lenovo: Genuine Lenovo-associated MicroSD cards are sold under the names ThinkPlus, Monster and Legion, exclusively for sale only in China. Generic Lenovo-branded cards found on online marketplaces are typically counterfeit.
• Sony: Sony previously manufactured MicroSD cards but has discontinued them. Newly advertised Sony-branded cards are typically counterfeit, although genuine older stock may still exist.

Examples of MicroSD cards using brand fraud:

^{These counterfeit examples were found on online marketplaces and may contain fake capacities, low-quality flash memory or both.}

Counterfeit cards may also imitate other manufacturers’ designs, such as SanDisk-style “Lenovo” cards or Samsung-style “SONY” cards.

Always verify that the advertised MicroSD card model exists on the manufacturer’s official website before purchasing.

Where to buy genuine MicroSD cards #

To reduce the risk of purchasing a counterfeit MicroSD card, buy directly from the manufacturer, an authorised reseller or a reputable retailer, either online or in-store.

• Avoid marketplaces such as AliExpress, Temu, Shein and Wish, where counterfeit storage is commonly found.
• When buying from Amazon, ensure it is sold and dispatched by Amazon. Third-party listings, including those fulfilled by Amazon, carry additional risks.
• When buying from eBay, check the seller’s reputation and reviews carefully. Positive feedback alone does not guarantee authenticity.

Many established manufacturers operate official stores or provide lists of authorised retailers:

• SanDisk: Official Store - Authorised Sellers
• Samsung: Official Store
• Kingston: Authorised Sellers
• Lexar: Authorised Sellers
• Kioxia (formerly Toshiba): Authorised Sellers
• PNY: Authorised Sellers
• Transcend: Authorised Sellers
• Integral: Authorised Sellers

^{This is not an exhaustive list of legitimate MicroSD card manufacturers.}

MicroSD brands with reported compatibility issues #

Some genuine MicroSD cards have been reported to cause compatibility problems with Nintendo DS flashcarts, DSi and 3DS consoles. The exact cause remains unknown, although differences in performance optimisation on these MicroSD cards are one of the potential reasons.

Reported brands include:

• Intenso
• Biwin
• Hama
• Kootion
• Philips
• Emtec

Not every card from these brands is necessarily affected. However, we recommend avoiding them when purchasing MicroSD cards for these devices due to the reported issues.

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.

Note: Passing a capacity test does not guarantee that a MicroSD card is genuine or reliable. Some low-quality cards may pass these tests but still fail prematurely. These tests are primarily intended to identify defective storage or falsely advertised capacities.

What to do if your MicroSD card fails testing #

If your MicroSD card fails a capacity or integrity test, stop using it and avoid writing any additional data to it. Back up any important files that are still accessible, as continued use may result in further corruption or data loss.

If the card was recently purchased, contact the seller/retailer to request a refund & return. Counterfeit or defective MicroSD cards should not be trusted with important data, even if they appear to work after reformatting.

$ 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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