SSD scams aren't uncommon, but fake SSDs are now easily bypassing basic system checks and appearing legitimate to the operating systems.
Redditor Buys 2 TB Samsung 990 PRO SSD for $207 That Could Hardly Go Beyond 20 MB/s Transfer Speeds; Samsung Magician Flagged it as a Fake Product
Scammers are now getting better at duping customers into buying their fake SSDs. SSD scams have been on the rise due to NAND shortage, and similar to how we are witnessing high RAM prices and fake RAM modules in the market, SSDs are being manipulated too. Redditor u/xox-lover reported that he was tempted into buying a Samsung 990 Pro SSD as it appeared significantly cheaper than it appears on most retailers.
The 2 TB Samsung 990 Pro usually sells for over 30,000 INR (US$327) in India, but the PC peripheral distributor, who reportedly appears to be his friend, sold him the SSD for 19,000 INR or US$207. Everything seemed normal to the user, but when he started using the SSD, he couldn't go past 20 MB/s of transfer speeds. The read and write speeds hovered around 20 MB/s and 9-10 MB/s, respectively, which clearly indicated something was way off.
Since his SSD was reportedly capped to PCIe 3.0 x4 mode, as reported by the CrystalDiskInfo, he should ideally see at least 3,000+ MB/s read transfer speeds. He investigated using various tools, but both Windows and CrystalDiskInfo recognized it as a genuine drive. After a couple of troubleshooting steps, such as updating drivers and reinstalling the SSD, he finally downloaded the official Samsung Magician too.
After running the scan, the tool flagged the drive as "Not Genuine", which cleared the confusion. The tool clearly said that "This drive is not a genuine Samsung Brand SSD with a valid serial number", which confirmed it was a fake SSD. The user says that since the distributor was his friend, returning the SSD would not be an issue, but he warned others to be cautious of unusually cheap SSDs, which may turn out to be fake.
It's also highly recommended to perform a scan using the Samsung Magician tool for Samsung SSDs to confirm if the product is genuine, and it's best to avoid shady/less popular sellers.
News Source: Reddit
About the author: Sarfraz Khan is a hardware reporter with a focus on PC components and the builder community. With years of experience writing about PC hardware and laptops, his work has been featured on several reputable technology publications. Sarfraz's hands-on experience is demonstrated through his first-person accounts of using and comparing different hardware configurations, providing practical and relatable insights for everyday users. His technical analysis is respected by peers in the enthusiast community and has been cited by specialized hardware sites such as Germany's Igor's Lab.
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