The purchase of storage devices at suspiciously low prices remains a frequent risk on platforms such as Amazon. In September 2023, a programmer acquired 12 USB memories of unknown brands and discovered that all of them used a trick to simulate storage capabilities that they did not really possess.
This finding not only revealed the scope of the problem, but also promoted the creation of a free solution for users.
The finding of the fake USB and the creation of Validrive
During the tests of a new version of the Spinrite software, one of the testers noticed irregularities in a USB memory. The device appeared to have a lot of space, but in reality most of the data could not be stored effectively. This occurs because the operating system shows the space as available, even if it is not.
You can read: Player Purchase Hard Disk 2TB for $ 2 dollars, but it does not work and when opening it, note the fraud
Following this discovery, developers bought twelve low -cost memories to check if it was an isolated case. The result was alarming: all the units were manipulated in the same way. To face this type of scams, they created Validrive, a free tool that allows you to verify if the storage of a device is real.
How Validrive works to detect defective memories
Validrive performs reading and writing tests in 576 areas distributed along the supposed USB space. In this way, identify if you can really use all the announced capacity or if it is a modified device to deceive the operating system.
-The process is simple: when starting the tool, it is enough to connect the USB device, select it and validate its memory. If the analysis shows numerous red points instead of green, it means that the storage is not authentic. Although there are other similar tools, such as H2TESTW, Validrive stands out for its ease of use.
How to avoid being a victim of fraudulent USB memories
The best defense against these fraud is caution at the time of purchase. If a storage device offers huge capabilities at suspiciously low prices, it is convenient to make a comparison with the standard prices of recognized manufacturers before acquiring it.
Although Amazon has withdrawn the products detected in this research, similar lists still persist. Tools such as Validrive allow users to verify their purchases and protect themselves, reinforcing the importance of adopting more careful habits on online sales platforms.
They create Windows version for Game Boy with Buscaminas and Paint: their second edition was exhausted in one day
The nostalgia for the classic Windows systems has taken a new form thanks to the work of an independent developer who has led some of its most beloved functions to a Game Boy portable console more than three decades ago.
It’s about Windows GBSa project that adapts the aesthetics and characteristics of Windows 3.1 to the legendary Game Boy of Nintendo.
