Are These SanDisk 64GB MicroSD Cards Fake? Also Return Shipping Costs for LightInTheBox

LDinjay on 06/03/2017 - 13:10
Last edited 08/12/2017 - 08:38 by 1 other user

Update 09/03/17 : Received the paypal refund today. I will update again once I receive and test the new MicroSD card

Update 08/03/17 : Pinni from Light in the box contacted me. She committed to refunding the purchase price and sending a new 64GB MicroSD. I will post an update after I receive the refund and test new MicroSD card. She also informed me: "We had stopped the contract with original supplier, all their products bad been taken off from our site."

I have two questions.

Q1 Are these likely to be fakes?
https://files.ozbargain.com.au/upload/183175/47044/2017-03-0…

Q2 Has anyone had return shipping costs for defective items been reimbursed by lightinthebox? If so, how?

Long version

I brought a Xiaomi smart IP Camera from this deal from Lightinthebox (Gearbest was sold out). I bought a SanDisk 64GB MicroSD Card to go with this IP Camera at the same time from Lightinthebox for AUD $23.15. Once I received the package, I tested the MicroSD Card using h2testw and detected a defect. I formatted the card using the SD Card Formatter from the SD Association but it froze midway and the then card stopped responding or being detected by Windows/Ubuntu altogether. Lightinthebox sent me a replacement which arrived a month later and I went through a similar sequence (except this time formatted using Windows 10) with the replacement card also eventually stopping working. I waited another month for a third card (second replacement) and rinse-repeat.

While packaging looks genuine, all three cards have the same serial number. Some of the MicroSD to SD adapters also had small scuff marks in the terminals.
Q1 Are these likely to be fakes?

Instead of wasting another month waiting for yet another defective card, I asked for a refund. Lightinthebox agreed but wanted me to post the card(s) back to China. Their return policy states "We will be responsible for all shipping fees" for product quality returns but their return instructions do not indicate how return shipping fees will be reimbursed.

Q2 Has anyone had return shipping costs for defective items been reimbursed by lightinthebox? If so, how?

I am trying to decide if it is worth the time and cost of returning these

Electrical & Electronics

Related Stores

LightInTheBox
LightInTheBox

Comments

  • Master Bates on 06/03/2017 - 13:24
    +2

    Fake, serial numbers should be unique.

  • CyberMurning on 06/03/2017 - 14:23

    damn… selling fake sdcard is very low.
    will avoid this shop then

    somehow i find myself buying from banggood and aliexpress lately, not ebay/dxextreme/geekbuying etc

    • altomic on 06/03/2017 - 16:35

      I've only ever received fake microsd cards from aliexpress (7 orders - different sellers, alipay protected me).

      have the ones you have received been fine with h2testw?

      • CyberMurning on 06/03/2017 - 16:45

        sorry i never buy microsd but something else.
        i bought microsd from shoppingexpress

  • PJC on 06/03/2017 - 14:40
    +1

    Their Rep's status is Online Now.

  • Seraphin7 on 06/03/2017 - 15:39

    Don't know if it's the quality of your photo or not, but geez, those cards look like they've had years of use, not basically brand new.

    • Dinjay on 06/03/2017 - 15:56

      They were only used 5 times or less for testing and formatting. The MicroSD Cards are very small (around 5-10% of the size in the photo) and the writing is fairly faint so I had to use a Cree LED flashlight (also from an Ozbargain deal) to light it up so I think that highlights dust and small scratches as well show the defects in the phone camera. But at the same time, there were scuff marks in the adapters straight out of the pakcage so it's possible that the cards also had scuff marks that were too small for me to see without the torch and zoom.

  • tonsta on 06/03/2017 - 15:59
    +3

    looks like you have the typical memory controller modified fake to show 64gb.

  • loke on 06/03/2017 - 16:34
    +2

    I have 64gb microsd sandisk ultras at home, so can't get images right now (you might want to compare it yourself online)

    does the 'part' number also clue you in that it should be a 16GB microsd- MMCD16GBAX-TX really doesn't sound like a serial number (edit)

    • Dinjay on 06/03/2017 - 16:45
      +1

      Good point - h2test2w detected the defect beyond 14.9GB so it's quite possible that this is supposed to be a 16GB card…

      • loke on 06/03/2017 - 16:48
        +1

        Here you go OP, I can't remember where I bought them from, pcbyte / auspost most likely, I do have others bought but they are with parents / brother and this is a spare one I threw in a Wii U and I asked my brother for pics:

        https://files.ozbargain.com.au/upload/39679/47055/img-201703…

        https://files.ozbargain.com.au/upload/39679/47056/img-201703…

        anyhow good luck with your refund

        • Dinjay on 06/03/2017 - 16:54
          +1

          Thanks - my serial numbers are obviously quite different to those.

          I did google various combinations of MMCD16GBAX-TX DL1610 TO but I didn't find any matches, which is why I wasn't sure if these were fakes. Plus I thought that Lightinthebox is a reputable seller here so it's surprising that they would ship fakes.

        • Store RepMiniInTheBox @ LightInTheBox on 06/03/2017 - 17:14

          @Dinjay: hi sir, just get the feedback from product department, do you mind provide the product link? they will check it asap

  • Store RepMiniInTheBox @ LightInTheBox on 06/03/2017 - 17:00

    hi sir, sorry for the quality problem. as i can see you have contact with our Customer Service, seems you have a good communicate with them. if you still have any question welcome to ask Customer Service, and of course i will try to help you to submit your problem. but contact Customer Service is the best way so far. also i consult my BOSS about your question, but considering we are different department and we only in charge of promote products, so don't get more information about your after-sales service.

    • Dinjay on 06/03/2017 - 17:18

      Do you know if and how the return shipping costs for fake/defective items are reimbursed by lightinthebox?

      • Store RepMiniInTheBox @ LightInTheBox on 06/03/2017 - 17:21

        we are just want to figure out this problem, but first you need give me the link to the product and your order number. our product department need check the product's problem.

        • Dinjay on 06/03/2017 - 17:30

          Just messaged you the order number.

          The product link no longer exists:
          http://www.lightinthebox.com/sandisk-64gb-ultra-microsdhc-uh…
          The product link went down soon after I tested the second card and informed lightinthebox that these are likely to be fakes.

        • Store RepMiniInTheBox @ LightInTheBox on 06/03/2017 - 17:50

          @Dinjay: hi sir, do you mind provide another two card's h2testw screenshot?

        • Dinjay on 06/03/2017 - 17:57

          @MiniInTheBox:

          Sure - here's the output from the 3rd card.
          https://files.ozbargain.com.au/upload/183175/47045/2017-03-0…

        • Dinjay on 06/03/2017 - 18:00

          Again, even without the h2testw output you can see these are fakes by them having the exact same serial number:
          https://files.ozbargain.com.au/upload/183175/47044/2017-03-0…

        • Store RepMiniInTheBox @ LightInTheBox on 06/03/2017 - 18:04

          @Dinjay: thanks, we are working on it and if i get any new furthers will let you know.

        • Store RepMiniInTheBox @ LightInTheBox on 06/03/2017 - 18:12

          @Dinjay: do you have 2nd card screenshot? we need all of these as some kind of proof. thanks

        • Dinjay on 06/03/2017 - 22:55

          @MiniInTheBox: No - I only have the 2nd card h2testw output in text form from the first round of testing because I was planning to take the screenshot during the next round of testing after formatting it. Unfortunately the card never worked again after the first round of testing.

          Here is the text output:

          Error reading file 'D:\1.h2w', offset 0x0.
          (Data error (cyclic redundancy check). Code 23)
          Warning: Only 12897 of 61420 MByte tested.
          Reading speed: 0.00 KByte/s
          H2testw v1.4

          Again - there is physical proof that the cards are fake due to all three of them having the same serial numbers. I am not sure what additional proof a h2testw screenshot can possibly provide….

  • DrC on 06/03/2017 - 19:30

    Super, super dodgy

  • PJC on 07/03/2017 - 03:02

    OP, please keep us informed.

    • Dinjay on 07/03/2017 - 06:17
      +1

      Will do.

  • Seraphin7 on 07/03/2017 - 09:42

    Very interesting thread here. I'm very curious as to how this ends up as I've seen a few cheaper memory cards out there and have been scared off on the basis of "too good to be true".

    • Dinjay on 07/03/2017 - 13:11

      I didn’t consider these to be "too good to be true" as I paid Lightinthebox AUD $23.15 + shipping for these and I can pick them up for $26 at MSY:
      http://www.msy.com.au/peripherals/4147-64g-sandisk-ultra-mic…

      I bought these during the pre-Christmas period so I seem to recall there were other physical stores selling them around the $30 mark. The only reason I bought from Lightinthebox is due to the ease and the price was secondary, but that decision has turned into a monumental waste of my time.

  • skillet on 07/03/2017 - 10:15
    +1

    I don't understand these sellers.

    Their standard operating procedure is same. " Oh we are so sorry 'insert blame on supplier excuse here' ".
    Next they will attempt to request for photos and proof that it is a fake.
    Finally if it is on ebay they will refund and close the transaction so you will not be able to leave a negative feedback and they continue to sell the product.

    Why can't you as a seller use your existing silly goods and test them why should the buyer waste their time to do so?! Why should the buyer work for you to prove it's a fake. Why do you deal with shady suppliers knowing you are in a land of fakes.

    These sellers should be reported to Paypal and have them banned.

  • [Deactivated] on 07/03/2017 - 11:03

    The soul reason why i purchase my cards from stores.

    I have had an sd card 32 gb in a phone that was run over by a car and still made it out alive which was fantastic.

    Have a 64gb card from office works and never had an issue with sudden death or the hacked storage debacle that people tend to get.

    I have several sd cards that i dont see a fault with and all from a store purchase.

    • phocus on 07/03/2017 - 14:37

      The soul reason why i purchase my cards from stores.

      I also purchase my cards from a store for spiritual reasons.

  • HeWhoKnows on 07/03/2017 - 14:58

    FROM A TRUE EXPERT ON THE SUBJECT HAVING BEEN BURNT A FEW TIMES IN THE PAST:

    Firstly there are a few tests to check if its real or fake. here are the 2 best ones:

    TEST 1 - Quick and Simple speed test using Crystal Disk Mark. It should match or exceed its Class rating for the WRITE test. Class 10 = 10MB/sec write speed. Class 6 = 6MB/sec etc. If its much less then its FAKE!
    TEST 2 - SPEED/READ/WRITE/VERIFY TEST using H2testw 1.4. Run test over entire 64MB. This will verify write speed, read speed and true usable disk space. Will alert you if its a fake.

    You can use H2testw test results as evidence that the disk is fake or unusable.

    Secondly - always pay with PayPal as they guarantee almost everythging you buy online and if the seller wont co-operate they will take over and arrange a refund for you.

  • Dinjay on 08/03/2017 - 15:09
    +2

    Update: Pinni from Light in the box contacted me. She committed to refunding the purchase price and sending a new 64GB MicroSD. I will post another update after I receive the refund and test the new MicroSD card. She also informed me: "We had stopped the contract with original supplier, all their products bad been taken off from our site."
    Also updated the original post.

    • PJC on 08/03/2017 - 19:27
      +1

      That seems a good outcome. Awaiting your next update.

  • LYRICALRAVER on 08/03/2017 - 19:58

    Don't like Lightinthebox or miniinthebox or whatever box they call it! I've just had issues with them. Ordered a bluetooth receiver in January this year, waited a few weeks - didn't come. Then they said there was a shipping transfer problem. AFter I waited into February still nothing. then suggested I go into Auspost and give them a tracking number. Went in, Auspost couldn't find it. Now they've said they will be refunding the credit back into Paypal… Don't trust Lightinthebox again!

    • PJC on 08/03/2017 - 21:32

      Please update when you receive (hopefully) the refund.

      • LYRICALRAVER on 22/04/2017 - 21:45
        +1

        received the refund. it arrived late, but i just let it go back

        • PJC on 22/04/2017 - 22:51

          That was very slow but I'm glad you got a result.

  • Dinjay on 09/03/2017 - 14:23

    Update: I received the paypal refund today. I will update again once I receive and test the new MicroSD card.
    I also updated the original post.

    • PJC on 09/03/2017 - 15:17

      That's a good start anyway.

  • Dinjay on 23/03/2017 - 13:23
    +2

    Update: I received a special delivery from LightInTheBox today with the 64GB microSD (microSDXC UHS-I). It passed the h2testw test so this matter is now resolved.

    Here are some more images that may be useful for others:
    * Full packaging
    * microSD package
    * Back sicker cover for the microSD package. The fakes did not have this.
    * The serial number. The numbers on the fakes were in much bigger font.

    Thanks for all those that helped! :)

    • PJC on 23/03/2017 - 14:12
      +1

      Well done.

Login or Join to leave a comment
Login Join