Counterfeit 990 Pro SSDs Fool Buyers

As DRAM and NAND prices surge amid AI-driven data-center demand, counterfeit SSDs are becoming increasingly sophisticated—and harder to detect. One recent case involving a fake Samsung 990 Pro highlights how convincing these scams have become.

A Reddit user believed they had secured a bargain: a 2TB 990 Pro for ₹19,000 (about $205) from a third-party distributor. Initially, everything appeared legitimate. Windows File Manager, Disk Management and CrystalDiskInfo all identified the drive as authentic. However, real-world performance quickly raised alarms. File transfer speeds failed to exceed 20 MB/s—dramatically lower than the genuine model’s advertised sequential read and write speeds of 7,450 MB/s and 6,900 MB/s.

After reinstalling the SSD, updating drivers and flashing a new BIOS, the issue persisted. Only Samsung Magician—Samsung’s proprietary diagnostic tool—finally flagged the device as counterfeit. The episode underscores the growing sophistication of fake hardware, where firmware and labeling are engineered to bypass standard system checks.

This is not an isolated incident. In 2023, a counterfeit 980 Pro reportedly evaded even Samsung’s detection tools, with the fraud uncovered only after physically dismantling the drive. Experts now suggest using benchmark tools such as CrystalDiskMark as an additional safeguard.

With AI infrastructure absorbing vast memory supplies and retail SSD prices doubling in some cases, scammers are exploiting shortages by packaging ultra-cheap NAND in premium shells. For consumers, deep discounts—especially from third-party sellers—now demand extra scrutiny.