Quick Detection Genuine or Counterfeit Kingston DT150 32GB DataTraveler Michael’s Guide
Posted by KittyFireFlash on May 30, 2009
eBay is not a safe place to buy usb flash drives. eBay sellers in the orient get a lot of bad press. People are suspicious. But you can just as easily buy a fake or counterfeit flash drive from eBay in the United States, United Kingdom, Europe or even in Australia.
The FrankenFlash Project has been busy publishing alerts and documenting Kingston DT150 DataTraveler counterfeits (see articles at the end ). First 32GB fakes appeared, then 64GB fakes and now 32GB fakes have spread to many eBay countries. The United States is a serious target.
What are the signs for a counterfeit 32GB DT150 DataTraveler fake? How can you tell? Michael shows you how.
Michael is a recent victim. He bought from an American eBay seller, tested his drive and found it to be a counterfeit. Immediately Michael created a dispute at Paypal and dialogued with the seller. The seller refunded him but Paypal would not release the funds, demanding he return the counterfeit. In the end both seller and buyer united against PayPal to solve the issue and make the refund come true. See https://sosfakeflash.wordpress.com/report-a-fake/comment-page-2/#comment-2094
So what does a counterfeit DT150 32GB DataTraveler look like?
There is no laser etching on the usb connector front with serial information or model information. Kingston adds this as a counter measure to counterfeiting. Below is what this etching looks like for a genuine usb flash drive.
Kingston DataTraveler DT150’s are laser etched on their usb plugs with drive model information , size and a serial number too. This is a primary anti-counterfeiting defense. The one shown is for a DT150 64GB flash drive.
Kingston DT150 32GB packaging front. Note this is sealed packaging used by genuine kingston DT150 usb flash drives and not the dead giveaway of plastic snap pack. It also means that counterfeiters are able to duplicate more expensive packaging. 
usb plug back of a counterfeit 32GB DT150.
The counterfeit Kingston DT150 32GB packaging back with no serial information and upc code for it. All genuine Kingston DT150’s have this information inside the packaging.
It is unique, every single drive has a different serial. No two drives have the same one. It is missing here. In some counterfeits, you will find a serial label but when you check at Kingstons authentication site you will find it has already been used. It you find in a retail store, they all have the same serial number information on the back, stay away!
Kingston DT150 32GB front LED. In every report so far, the LED does not work. Not surprising really. The insides are different for a fake. The circuit board and connectors are not the same, so how could they make the LED work? The LED is really “pretend”, just to look a bit like the real one. Otherwise everyone would recognize the fake immediately.
Kingston DT150 32GB front. Many people also report the casing is made of lighter material than a genuine version and does not weigh as much.
Kingston DT150 32GB back.
Kingston label is peeling from the casing.
If you bought a counterfeit usb flash drive on eBay please report in to SOSFakeFlash, using the Report A Fake Tab For Information.
Read: Kingston USB Flash Drives – Detect Counterfeits And Fakes – Product Verification
Additional information published by the FrankenFlash Project:
May 27, 2009 Genuine or Counterfeit Kingston DT150 64GB DataTraveler – Quick Detection – A Guide
May 20, 2009 fufu$$ And The Counterfeit Kingston DT150 64GB DataTraveler USB Flash Drives
The first story:
March 16, 2009 Kingston Counterfeit Fake 32GB DataTraveler 150 USB Flash Drive Found On eBay
SOSFakeFlash 
Randy said
Just a thought. What would happen if Kingston offered a bounty on every Counterfeit Kingston Drive purchased off of Ebay and purchased via EBay…. How long before Paypal & Ebay stopped offering Purchased Protection for Kingston Flash Drive.
What would happen if Sony and HP did the same?
Cliff said
Victims should contact the manufacturers so they are not only aware of the problem as they are already, but so the manufacturers themselves get sick and tired of eBay’s dirty morality.
With the manufacturers behind them victims will be further empowered to get the justice they deserve from crimBay.
Fake USB Flash Drives « Stuff.za.net said
[…] I had read about fake flash devices before on Bunnie’s Blog, so I started doing some searching online to see if anyone had perhaps a simple way of finding out if the drives were fake. I was all prepared with USB PID’s and VID’s but it turns out none of that was needed… I found a website called SOSFakeFlash that has tons of entries about fake flash drives being sold on Ebay a little bit of searching on the site found the following article on how to spot a fake DT150. […]
FlashChipTutor said
DT150 counterfeits labeled 4GB found. Beware.
DT150 was manufactured at 32GB and 64GB capacity. The usb connector tip is engraved with a serial number. It is possible to validate the serial number at Kingston verify site.
SOSFakeFlash Reading List For Newbies Fake Flash Memory eBay And Internet Sites. Ultimate Internet Reference On Fake Hacked Flash Memory In A Nutshell. 3 Years Of Research And Documentation. 1,000,000 Flash Memory Chips Are Digitally Altered To Lie About said
[…] Quick Detection Genuine or Counterfeit Kingston DT150 32GB DataTraveler Michael’s Guide […]
SOSFakeFlash Reading List For Newbies Fake Flash Memory eBay And Internet Sites. Ultimate Internet Reference On Fake Hacked Flash Memory In A Nutshell. 3 Years Of Research And Documentation. 1,000,000 Flash Memory Chips Are Digitally Altered To Lie About said
[…] Quick Detection Genuine or Counterfeit Kingston DT150 32GB DataTraveler Michael’s Guide […]
SOSFakeFlash Reading List For Newbies Fake Flash Memory eBay And Internet Sites. Ultimate Internet Reference On Fake Hacked Flash Memory In A Nutshell. 3 Years Of Research And Documentation. 1,000,000 Flash Memory Chips Are Digitally Altered To Lie About said
[…] Quick Detection Genuine or Counterfeit Kingston DT150 32GB DataTraveler Michael’s Guide […]