eBay's Counterfeit Memory Card Scam Continues
After 2 years of complaints, eBay continues to allow fakes.
September 5, 2017, Los Angeles, CA – It's a simple and deceptive scam - take a low capacity computer memory card costing a few cents and reprint it with a higher capacity label and globally recognized trademark. List it on eBay as an authentic item for up to $100.00 or more. And, that's exactly what eBay sellers did - 2 million items in fact.
It's no bigger than your fingernail, but this tiny replaceable memory card holds your data, photos and contacts in your phone, camera, iPad, tablet, laptop and GPS. However, it's a fake and you are likely to lose your data, images, and you may damage your equipment. If you are planning a purchase to save irreplaceable documents or photos, buy wisely. If you can't identify this 64GB microSDHC® card as a fake, you may lose a massive amount of data.
The Counterfeit Report®, a watchdog and consumer advocate website, found over 2 million counterfeit memory cards on eBay and sent formal infringement notices to eBay for removal, authorized by the trademark holders, for 2 years. eBay still allows the fake items to be listed.
In addition to counterfeit and trademark laws, is eBay's illusory claim; "You can't list replicas, fakes, counterfeits, or other illegal copies on eBay." The fact is you can, including the items below that don't even exist in any manufacturer's authentic product line - but they do on eBay.
Even more distressing is eBay regularly sends email solicitations to buy the inarguable fake items, yet they won't tell buyers they purchased a fake, even after a formal infringement notification. Of course, buyers would then be entitled to a refund under eBay's "Money Back Guarantee." Profit over consumer protection seems to be the practice at eBay.
Shown below are just some of the counterfeit micro SD® memory cards listed or purchased on eBay. All microSDHC® cards over 32GB are fake - there is no such authentic product in any brand, yet they are allowed on eBay.
(photos: The Counterfeit Report®)
The micro SD® trademark is owned by SD-3C, LLC, who licenses its use to authentic, conforming products. None of the items shown are authentic licensed products.
The removable micro SD memory storage card is an amazing, convenient and trouble-free storage device. When it works, it is unnoticed. When you get a fake, it will be the very core of your frustration, despair and pain – and your data may be gone. When the counterfeit memory cards reach their actual capacity, they overwrite and erase any existing stored data.
Consumers cannot determine the actual memory capacity of a counterfeit memory card by simply viewing the capacity displayed on their computer, phone or camera. The counterfeiters are too smart for that, and simply overwrite the actual memory capacity with a false capacity to match what they print on the counterfeit packaging and card. A free downloadable test program (H2TESTW.exe) will easily tell you the real capacity of your card. Additionally, there is no manufacturer to honor any warranty.
If you are going to trust your data and photos to a micro SD® card, buy authentic memory cards from authorized retailers or directly from the manufacturer. See TheCounterfeitReport.com for more examples of counterfeit and fake memory cards.
Companies that facilitate criminal activity and profit from dishonest sales which impact consumer safety, jobs and public trust create a public perception of deception and impunity. However, their reputation damage is inconsequential to the real problem: the value of counterfeit and pirated goods is forecast1 to grow to $2.8 trillion, and cost 5.4 million net job losses by 2022, while legitimate manufacturers' brand integrity is tarnished or destroyed.
Footnote:
1 THE ECONOMIC COSTS OF COUNTERFEITING AND PIRACY
The report was prepared for The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC BASCAP) and The International Trademark Association (INTA)
January 2017
Frontier Economics, Ltd.
 |
