The golden rule of backup is the 3-2-1 rule: 3 copies of your data, stored in 2 different locations, with 1 copy kept offsite. I needed a USB hard drive to back up my Synology Network Attached Storage (NAS) system. So, I visited Shopee to search for the most cost-effective USB drive. To my surprise, there were Singapore-based sellers offering Western Digital USB drives at a fraction of the usual cost! ($45 compared to $178) Since these were being sold by local sellers, they seemed trustworthy, right?

For the sake of science, I picked up a heavily discounted hard drive. A few days later, it arrived. It had a solid weight to it, though something about it felt a little off. I connected it to my NAS and began setting up a backup task. The first red flag appeared when the NAS couldn’t properly mount the drive. After several formatting attempts, the system finally recognized it. The first backup job began, and like a treasure hunter uncovering a rare find, I was thrilled to see it in action.

The second red flag appeared when the backup process took an entire day and ultimately failed. Finding this odd, I connected the hard drive to my computer for further investigation. The system recognized it as a 4TB drive, so I decided to format the disk and test it by copying large files. That’s when the third red flag emerged—any file larger than 1TB took an unusually long time to transfer and eventually failed. Being someone who enjoys taking things apart, I couldn’t shake the suspicion that this might be a counterfeit product. I opened the case (which surprisingly didn’t have a single screw), and there it was—a USB device connected to an SD card.

These types of scams are quite common. These fraudulent devices can handle small files, making initial tests appear successful. However, they lack the capacity to handle larger files and will ultimately fail. The scammers often exploit reputable platforms and offer local shipping to gain trust. Fortunately, I was able to report the incident and recover my funds.

If you’re concerned about counterfeit products, look no further. Treeland Digital Solutions offers authentic products with a local manufacturer warranty. Contact us about your backup needs via email or WhatsApp.