8utters
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If you buy your memory cards from a store like Warehouse Express, Jessops, Calumet etc then this topic isn't really going to concern you much as memory cards bought from these stores are all real.
However, if you do, or have done in the past, bought memory cards (in particular SanDisk Extreme or Ultra cards) from eBay or Amazon Used & New then this topic may be very useful to you.
I recently realised one of my cards, a SanDisk Extreme IV was a fake. I'm making this topic to help others spot a fake as they can't be fairly tricky to spot and I think it's unacceptable to sell fakes as they don't perform nearly as well as the real ones. False advertising too, so report any eBay user you spot selling fakes.
Packaging
The packaging from fake cards is notoriously hard to tell fake-from-real. This is because most of the time fake cards actually come packaged in real packaging. My fake Extreme IV came in a real Extreme IV box. It's easy to get old of original packaging for next to nothing so people just package fake cards in real boxes.
They will often include all original manuals and even a recovery CD.
Label/Sticker
Again, like the packaging, the stickers are more than often real stickers. However, the SanDisk Extreme and Ultra cards have a holographic part (the text that says 'SanDisk Extreme' so hold it to the light and see if it's a hologram. If not, it's a fake. Also bear in mind that fake cards do often come with holographic stickers.
Serial number
The serial number is another easy way to spot a fake. ALL SanDisk Extreme and Ultra cards have a white 12-digit serial number printed on the rear side.
This is a photo from a real SanDisk Extreme III card bought from Calumet:
And here's the fake Extreme IV card bought from eBay:
Also bear in mind that some fakes have fake serial numbers (or serials which don't relate to SanDisk cards) so check everything listed in this topic against your card to see if it's fake.
Corner of cards
A final way to spot a fake is the actual corner of the plastic of the card.
Real cards have a slightly rounded edge, fake ones don't.
This is a photo from a real SanDisk Extreme III card bought from Calumet:
And here's the fake Extreme IV card bought from eBay:
Go check your card if you bought from eBay, I was pretty annoyed that I had been scammed like this, especially since I had no idea for months that I had bought a fake.
Sorry if it's a bit long-winded, but it's important to get the right card, firstly because that's what you paid for, and secondly it's a pain having a camera that can shoot 6, 8 or 10 frames a second only to be held up by a cheap knock-off memory card.
Oh and if a mod could do something with this topic so future TP'ers could see it, that would be good...otherwise it will just get buried.
However, if you do, or have done in the past, bought memory cards (in particular SanDisk Extreme or Ultra cards) from eBay or Amazon Used & New then this topic may be very useful to you.
I recently realised one of my cards, a SanDisk Extreme IV was a fake. I'm making this topic to help others spot a fake as they can't be fairly tricky to spot and I think it's unacceptable to sell fakes as they don't perform nearly as well as the real ones. False advertising too, so report any eBay user you spot selling fakes.
Packaging
The packaging from fake cards is notoriously hard to tell fake-from-real. This is because most of the time fake cards actually come packaged in real packaging. My fake Extreme IV came in a real Extreme IV box. It's easy to get old of original packaging for next to nothing so people just package fake cards in real boxes.
They will often include all original manuals and even a recovery CD.
Label/Sticker
Again, like the packaging, the stickers are more than often real stickers. However, the SanDisk Extreme and Ultra cards have a holographic part (the text that says 'SanDisk Extreme' so hold it to the light and see if it's a hologram. If not, it's a fake. Also bear in mind that fake cards do often come with holographic stickers.
Serial number
The serial number is another easy way to spot a fake. ALL SanDisk Extreme and Ultra cards have a white 12-digit serial number printed on the rear side.
This is a photo from a real SanDisk Extreme III card bought from Calumet:
And here's the fake Extreme IV card bought from eBay:
Also bear in mind that some fakes have fake serial numbers (or serials which don't relate to SanDisk cards) so check everything listed in this topic against your card to see if it's fake.
Corner of cards
A final way to spot a fake is the actual corner of the plastic of the card.
Real cards have a slightly rounded edge, fake ones don't.
This is a photo from a real SanDisk Extreme III card bought from Calumet:
And here's the fake Extreme IV card bought from eBay:
Go check your card if you bought from eBay, I was pretty annoyed that I had been scammed like this, especially since I had no idea for months that I had bought a fake.
Sorry if it's a bit long-winded, but it's important to get the right card, firstly because that's what you paid for, and secondly it's a pain having a camera that can shoot 6, 8 or 10 frames a second only to be held up by a cheap knock-off memory card.
Oh and if a mod could do something with this topic so future TP'ers could see it, that would be good...otherwise it will just get buried.
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