Buyer be aware, reports from Japanese PC builders indicate a growing presence of fake DDR5 memory modules on the second-hand market, and they look like real ones to the untrained eye. This new scam uses plastic parts, but they look like real silicon chips at first glance.<\/p>\n
Reported by @taki_pc_1115 on X, whose friend bought a fake DDR5 SODIMM, these counterfeit modules look pretty convincing. While some aspects of them may ring alarm bells for those who are familiar with SODIMM memory, the overall build shows a lot of attention to detail. That includes engraved SK Hynix chips, power management circuitry, and even a serial number label. Regardless, it\u2019s not as if you can usually take a detailed look at each memory chip to see if it\u2019s fake or real when you\u2019re shopping.<\/p>\n
In this instance, after closer inspection, these modules turned out to be fully made of plastic and fibreglass. The serial number label indicates that this is a 16GB DDR5-5600 Samsung module, while the memory chips are from SK Hynix, which is also a red flag. Samsung is one of the big three DRAM makers, so it would be unlikely to use a third-party company\u2019s chips on its modules. Removing and opening one of these fake chips shows that they\u2019re not even made of defective silicon or relabelled modules<\/a>, as we\u2019ve seen with previous scams, but instead what looks like a fibreglass core.<\/p>\n X user @taki_pc_1115 added that SK Hynix stickers \u2013 the large white labels containing the model number and details for the module, which cover the chips \u2013 are already circulating<\/a> on auction sites. This could make it even harder to spot counterfeit modules. <\/p>\n![\"Fake](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/korea\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Fake-DDR5-memory-chip-1200x725.jpg\")
Credit: @taki_pc_1115 on X.<\/p>\n