Beware: $30 16TB SSD Turns Out to Be a Fake microSD Card

Redditor Bought a “16 TB SSD” for Just $30 – Then Opened it and Found a microSD Card Glued to Metal Weights Instead

A Reddit user has gone viral after exposing another fake high-capacity SSD sold online. The user deliberately bought a suspicious “16TB external SSD” for less than $30 to investigate whether it was genuine. After opening the enclosure, the device turned out to be exactly what they expected – a counterfeit.

Instead of a real solid-state drive, the enclosure contained a tiny 60GB microSD card attached to a small USB controller board. Scammers had also glued metal weights inside the case to make the device feel as heavy as a genuine SSD. From the outside, the drive closely resembled a legitimate product.

The biggest danger is hidden in the firmware. The fake drive falsely reports a storage capacity of 16TB to the computer. Once users exceed the real 60GB capacity, new files may overwrite existing data or become corrupted, causing permanent data loss without any warning.

The Reddit user, known as u/Hartkralle, said the goal is not to find bargains but to expose fraudulent sellers. After confirming the device is fake, they report the listing to eBay, receive a refund through the platform’s buyer protection program, and help remove scammer accounts. Although many sellers quickly return under new names, each removal temporarily disrupts the fraud.

Counterfeit storage devices have become increasingly common across online marketplaces. Similar scams have included fake external hard drives and SSDs containing low-capacity memory cards hidden inside plastic enclosures. Many use modified firmware to trick computers into displaying storage capacities that do not actually exist.

Experts say consumers should be cautious of deals that appear too good to be true. Genuine 16TB portable SSDs from well-known manufacturers typically cost several hundred dollars, making a price below $30 virtually impossible. Buyers are advised to purchase storage only from trusted retailers and test new drives with tools such as H2testw or F3 before storing important files.

The latest discovery serves as another reminder that appearance can be deceiving. A convincing enclosure and a low price may hide counterfeit hardware that puts valuable photos, documents, and backups at risk. Verifying storage devices before relying on them remains one of the best defenses against data loss.

Source:

• Reddit – u/Hartkralle