“FakeFlashTest” from RMPrepUSB is a free program you can download and run on the device. If you’re worried you’ve purchased a USB flash drive like this already, there are at least tests available you can carry out. If you see this in the description, run a mile! Some of the listings may even describe the device’s memory as “upgraded” or “expanded”. These fake memory sticks are particularly common on Ebay, where the cheap price and minimal review of listings make it easier to get away with. How to spot USB flash drives with fake memory This means that as soon as you fill up that first 8 GB of space on the flash drive, further “writes” to the device will overwrite the existing data or simply not be saved at all. Worryingly this will fool most operating systems! For example, an 8 GB chip could be made to map to itself 8 times so it appears to have 64 GB capacity. Some manufacturers and sellers have found that they can use a smaller capacity chip inside the flash drive, but have it “map” data to the same location repeatedly or even to locations that don’t exist. When we talk about fake USB flash drives, we’re talking about the device claiming to have more space than is physically available. This leaves consumers cheated out of their money, and worse still, at risk of losing data stored on the device. As disk storage becomes cheaper to produce and higher capacity storage devices become more affordable, an unfortunate side effect has been an increased number of “fake” USB flash drives flooding the market.

Fakeflashtest.