platinum_auctions01 Ebay Fake Flash Seller Alert USA

platinum_auctions01 is an eBay seller of Counterfeit (Fake) Flash USB drives. Based in the United States has sold over 1000+ Flash drives. The most famous counterfeits are Kingston DataTravelers at 16GB. platinum_auctions01 tries to give you a false sense of security by promoting himself as a USA based seller and offering the extra value of fast and free shipping. If you bought a drive from this American seller please test your drives immediately! Do not fall for his standard reply about the flash drive being defective. There is nothing defective about a flash drive that has been digitally altered to report a larger capacity than the flash chip actually is – it is illegal and it is fraud.

To see platinum_auctions01’s negative feedback Please Click Here

December 8th, 2008 – we have 32 eBay items confirmed fake

platinum_auctions01 recent eBay earnings:

Items Sold: 89.13%
Total Value Sold: £14079.65
Total Value Shipping: £0.00
Total Value Not Sold: £137.91
Sold Item Fees: £399.52
Unsold Item Fees: £39.75

The kingston drives are an actual capacity of 2GB and not 16GB. They are also the wrong colour for 16GB – Green (not like the listings), that is the 2GB drive model. One buyer contacted Kingston Technologies to verify if the drives were faulty or fakes. Kingston replied that they were indeed not genuine but counterfeit items sold. Kingston now has this seller on file. Reporting eBay sellers who sell branded items that are counterfeit should be reported to the manufacturers of the true drives. They also need help in identifying the sources of counterfeit items that damage the value and prestiage of their genuine drives.

One ebay victim replied to SOSFakeFlash with the following words:

THIS IDIOT HAS TO BE STOPPED IM IN A CLAIM WITH PAYPAL ABOUT IT BUT THEY TAKE FOREVER.

the victim in question was stung not once but twice, so the shouting in the comment is to be expected.
December 6th, 2008 2 ebay listings

This is the model sold under the eBay seller platinum_auctions01 confirmed as Counterfeit, recorded with eBayer ID and eBay Item Number – Standard Procedure. Presented as listed at auction. Counterfeit items tied to criminal activity enjoy no protection. If you bought one of these usb fake flash drives from platinum_auctions01 , you should test immediately with the software H2testw 1.4 . Do not store any important data on the drive until you can confirm you have the advertised capacity (minus formatting overhead).

Here is the presentation for the 16GB model as used by the seller platinum_auctions01

Should your drive not report the true advertised capacity:

1. Immediately attempt to move any data you have stored on the drive to another source. Be advised if you have stored more than the reported size from H2testw 1.4, you will not be able to recover it all – you can expect to see errors in the copy back.
2. Immediately report to eBay and PayPal to add your voice against this seller.

If the eBay Item number has disappeared from your won list. Please go to PayPal and search through your transactions for the approximate time frame of your purchase. You will find the details of your transaction and ebay item number. PayPal keeps this information for a long time. Use the email address:

complaint-response@paypal.com

Please include:

1. PayPal Transaction Number
2. Ebay Item Number
3. Date Of PayPal Transaction
4. Date Of eBay Item Listing
5. Your eBayer Id
6. Cite eBay Seller platinum_auctions01
7. The results from your testing with H2testw 1.4
8. Any information concerning data loss and it’s value to you

You are to inform them you wish to be part of the investigation against this seller and are adding yourself to the evidence. You expect to be fully refunded for the purchase and shipping and if you can prove data loss compensation for it as well. Furthermore, it is a fact that PayPal and eBay are aware of cases pouring in. You are invited to copy:

SOSFakeFlashDrive@gmail.com

on your correspondence.