On online sales platforms, some offers that seem too good to be true can hide surprises that are much more serious than expected. Believing they had found a bargain, a buyer recently received a 20TB hard drive that only looked like one. The device, perfectly packaged and equipped with a high-end case, actually concealed a mechanical deception from another era. It was simply an assembly of pieces of metal to simulate weight. This fake hard drive, discovered by chance by a curious relative, illustrates a scam that is becoming increasingly common in the world of digital storage.
A big surprise in the family hard drive
It all started with an ordinary purchase made on an online sales platform. Attracted by the promise of a 20-terabyte external hard drive, a father placed an order to increase his computer’s storage capacity. The product he received looked flawless: professional packaging, modern design, impressive technical specifications. There was no indication of any problem.
But as soon as he plugs it in, things go wrong. The computer refuses to recognise the hard drive, attempts to format it fail, and suspicious noises come from the device. Faced with this incomprehensible malfunction, the father sought help from his son, who is passionate about computers. The son decided to open it up, convinced that he would find a repairable fault. Inside, he was surprised to find not a trace of a hard drive, but six pieces of metal carefully aligned.
JVTech, which reported on the story in early March, describes the young man’s astonishment at this discovery. The iron weights are arranged to mimic the actual weight of a hard drive, adding false credibility to the product. The casing, meanwhile, appears to have been recycled from a well-known brand, reinforcing the illusion of a high-end device.
How online platforms host scams such as the fake hard drive scam
This type of mishap is far from isolated. Internet users report on specialised forums that they too have been tricked by similar products. This story, also reported by Glass Almanac, tells of scammers who are able to reproduce identical visuals, packaging and even labels from major brands in order to sell empty boxes.
These counterfeits are multiplying on platforms that host third-party sellers, sometimes without checking the origin or quality of the products. Consumers, attracted by competitive prices, find it difficult to distinguish the original from the copy without opening the packaging — which often invalidates any warranty or return policy. The scam is all the more perverse because it often targets an inexperienced audience that is unlikely to recognise the warning signs of fraud.
A few simple steps are all it takes to limit the risks. First, it is best to check the seller’s reliability. Next, reading reviews often helps to spot scams. You should also be wary of offers that seem too good to be true. Huge storage space at minimal cost often hides a scam. To avoid unpleasant surprises, it is safer to use official channels. In this deceptive market, vigilance remains your best ally.