Mass fraud on a HUGE scale - why does eBay tolerate so many counterfeit-capacity USB stick listings?

[chrisdrake.com]

eBay has more than 5,000 blatantly counterfeit fake USB listings today - e.g.

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_nkw=(%221TB%22%2C2TB)+usb+stick&_sacat=0&_stpos=77079&_fc...

The WORST thing about these fake drives, is that they corrupt user data, destroying precious memories, content, and more.

It is a criminal offence to sell these things - why, no matter how many times I report this, does eBay keep letting the scammers sell these ?

What can we do?  Can we file a criminal complaint to try and hold eBay executives responsible for the massive data loss their complicit acceptance of this fraud is causing ?

It's only $10 to $20 per fraud, but some of those sellers have already sold more than 10,000 drives, and this has been going on for years - that's $billions in direct fraud, millions of victims, and incalculable damage to data.

[repentatleisure1952]

https://community.ebay.com.au/t5/Buying/FAKE-Capacity-USB-drives-flooding-ebay-listings/m-p/2099764

[imastawka]

Chinese sellers.

Ebay can only report them to ebay China - who will do nothing.

Chinese sellers are 'the protected ones' on ebay.

[lyndal1838]

I bought some of these USB sticks many years ago.....they were definitely fakes and held far less data than advertised.  Other than the capacity they were/are excellent.....I am still using them all these years later and just make sure to keep withing the limits of their capacity.

And it is not only ebay......I bought some cheap USB sticks from a very well known retailer and they were the same.....much lower capacity than advertised.  I returned them and got my money back no problems.

[porcelain_dolls_by_me]

ebay will only act if the copright/patent owner lodges a formal complaint.  Such a complaint raises the issue to a whole new legal level

[katistrophik]

USB sticks available at BM stores are not expensive any more, Officeworks for instance sells well known brands between $10.00 up to $100.00 depending on size and use required.

They have an online store and the beauty is when there is a problem you can go to the store and speak to them.

I am stunned that people still source from O/S, we are really competitive here in Oz price and quality wise

Also to chris (OP) China manufatures many tech items, so as to fake? Unless they advertise as an actual brand passing of knock offs, Fake is very hard to call

[chrisdrake.com]

Try them again now - they almost allways flip into "Read only" and are totally useless after that.

You're also overlooking the fact that the capacity is FAKE - yes, they format and work fine, then when you DISCONNECT them (which clears your PC cache) and plug htem back in, the data is CORRUPTED.

[chrisdrake.com]

I did a quick search and added up the rough prices and sale numbers of the USA ones - it's about $500,000,000 in direct fraud, and incalculable losses in victim dataloss and time.

I phoned them and lodged an official complaint, and emailled their police email - does anyone have a way to reach someone in eBay who might actually care that their company is KNOWINGLY facilitating massive crime on a global sale?

I disagree taht China "does not care" - Microsoft complained about pirate windows some time back when I happened to be on holiday in China - they arrested everyone involved in that and *executed* them all.  Interestingly, the global police outside China all refused to take the case - Microsoft had to hire their own investigators to stamp out that fraud.

[danieh_6]

Not directed at anyone... but anyone who reads this. If you want to test a USB or SD card, regardless of where you get it from online or in person. I recommend https://www.vconsole.com/download "USB Flash Drive Tester"
Select "Read Write Compare"
Its a really good comprehensive test and will tell you if you device is a fake.

I've done data recovery for a long time and yes the fake drives corrupt data and I feel nothing but sorry for people who's data and memories that is permanently gone.

[lyndal1838]

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@chrisdrake.com wrote:

Try them again now - they almost allways flip into "Read only" and are totally useless after that.

You're also overlooking the fact that the capacity is FAKE - yes, they format and work fine, then when you DISCONNECT them (which clears your PC cache) and plug htem back in, the data is CORRUPTED.

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I have been using them regularly for a number of years with no problems.

I have a list of all my CDs and DVDs which I update as necessary.