Black Friday Shopping Guide: Follow These Steps to Avoid SD Card Scams

Don't fall for these scams.

It is only a few days until retailers stock the shelves with great deals on the latest devices and electronics for the much-anticipated Black Friday Sale.

Spot a Fake SD Card Before It's Too Late

Many buyers will undoubtedly be looking for the most recent smartphones and cameras, while some will be looking for memory cards to improve the performance of these devices.

People buy SD cards, microSD cards, and other types of memory cards for a variety of reasons. Some people buy SD cards to expand the storage capacity of their smartphones and other devices, while others use them to improve the capacity of cameras. The Black Friday sale will almost certainly include some SD cards at discounted rates.

However, low prices do not imply a lower level of quality. Scammers and bogus merchants may be taking advantage of the many sales rush this holiday season, so we should be aware of how to avoid purchasing counterfeit SD cards.

In this article, we will discuss how to avoid buying counterfeit or incorrectly labeled memory cards. It is also critical to discuss how scammers use their ploys so we do not fall for their deception.

Nobody wants to deal with the hassle of returning faulty SD cards or, worse, having their files corrupted or deleted by counterfeit products infected with dangerous programs.

If you don't want faulty SD cards to compromise your files, follow these simple steps to identify a fake SD card listing.

How to Avoid SD Card Scams

These steps, first shared by TechRadar, can help you tell fake SD cards from real deals and save you from a Black Friday Sale disappointment.

1. Be mindful of prices. Buyers, without a doubt, enjoy good deals, particularly when it comes to memory cards. Why pay hundreds of dollars for costly storage when you can pay a lot less? This could be some people's line of thinking before they mindlessly step into the trap of some scammers.

Before buying a new SD card, you should first consider researching the ones you intend to buy. Legitimate review sites are loaded with useful information, like price ranges, to give you an idea of what a memory card typically costs. You should try visiting one. Price history tools such as CamelCamelCamel and Keepa are also useful tools.

TechRadar tells us that a ridiculously low price could sometimes be a red flag. This makes spotting a fake one incredibly hard during Black Friday. Knowing legitimate price ranges can help you decide if a product is fake and help you make a careful decision.

2. Check the label and the merchant. According to this photographer's blog, one-third of all SD cards in circulation are counterfeit, with Sandisk memory cards receiving special mention. As stated in the blog, they are just lookalikes and do not function like the real ones.

This is why we must always pay close attention to factors such as memory card brand, speed, size, price, and seller. The last point is crucial because purchasing from an untrustworthy source can result in receiving a counterfeit product.

3. Lastly, check reviews and history. The thing about online reviews is that they give buyers an idea of whether a product or its seller is legitimate or has a history of defrauding customers.

There is no need for much explanation here; people should avoid sellers with low ratings. However, be wary of stores with fake reviews.

According to MakeUseOf, buying cards from big brands is always preferable to buying cheap no-name cards. You can expect improved performance, increased dependability, and housing that protects your cards from shock, water, and more.

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