As I promised in an article last month about the dangers of fake USB drives on AliExpress, I decided to experience this very common scam firsthand. I ventured out to buy a supposed 16TB Xiaomi USB stick for just €5.25. Yes, you read 16 terabytes correctly. To put it in context, a USB key of this capacity from a recognized brand would cost hundreds of euros, if it existed commercially.
The arrival of the fake USB key
The package arrived in a generic white envelope, nothing like the box we expect from Xiaomi. Inside, a plastic bag containing a USB key with a capacity of 2 TB, very far from 16 TB promised. The first, on the forehead. The quality of the packaging was terrible, with grammatical errors evident in the printed technical specifications.
Suspicious characteristics
The first thing that caught my eye was that the packaging was not even intended for a USB flash drive, but for a USB cable. A detail that I had already anticipated the quality of the product that was inside. The device came with some eye-catching features.
– A supposedly “environmental” (sic) TPE envelope.
– 24 carat gold plated contacts.
– A maximum transmission speed of 480Mbps.
The most surprising thing was to discover that, of the supposed 2 TB, half the space was already occupied (and I know why). A clear sign of firmware manipulation to make it appear that the device has more capacity than it actually does.
Solving the problem
I decided to take matters into my own hands and opened a dispute on AliExpress. In my complaint, I clearly stated discrepancy between the advertised and actual capacity of the device. I also highlighted the fraudulent use of the Xiaomi brand, emphasizing that the sale of counterfeits on European territory constitutes a highly persecuted practice. To my great surprise, the platform responded positively and proceeded to refund the €5.25 in full. The next day, the money on my card and a “you do not need to return the item”.
This experience confirms what we already knew, These too-good-to-be-true offers hide obvious scams. My advice remains the same, avoid these “bargains” and opt for legitimate products from well-known brands. He fake USB drive from some AliExpress sellers It’s a classic, and despite everything, there are those who still think they’ve made the purchase of the century. Yes, when they start filling that pen with files, the really fun part comes.
