A growing issue is hitting the PC market as memory prices continue to climb: counterfeit DDR5 modules. According to sources, fake RAM is becoming more common among Asian sellers, including both online stores and brick-and-mortar retail outlets.
These modules can look like genuine products from top brands on the outside, but inside they often contain fake DRAM chips, plastic pieces instead of working components, and even incompatible power circuits.
One case was recorded in Japan, where a user bought a 16-gigabyte DDR5 SO-DIMM module labeled Samsung. Upon inspection, the memory turned out to be completely counterfeit: the contacts looked different, the board edges were oddly rounded, and the actual memory chips were from SK Hynix, despite the Samsung sticker.
Experienced users might spot these signs, but it's much harder for the average buyer to tell a fake. This is especially true for desktop PC modules with heatsinks that hide the memory chips. In some cases, the only way to identify a counterfeit is to disassemble the module or try to boot the system.
These modules are already being sold on various platforms. In one listing, the seller explicitly stated the product was defective and not guaranteed to work, with no refunds possible.
Experts say the components market is increasingly seeing such scams. Counterfeit graphics cards and Ryzen processors have appeared before, and now fraudsters have moved on to RAM. With shortages and high prices, they use salvaged boards, non-working parts, and fake labels, selling them as fully functional products.
Buyers are advised to thoroughly check sellers, read reviews, and be wary of deals that look too good to be true, especially when buying memory and other PC components.