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Memory sticks from Sony (and SanDisk) are an expensive commodity, much more so than similar flash memory technologies - sometimes more than double the price of a competing technology.
It's no surprise then that people would look to online auction sites such as trademe and e-bay for cheaper prices, as everyone knows buying retail is a lot more expensive and more often than not your local electronic chain is ripping the unaware off.
The problem with this (as a friend recently found out) is that the old saying comes into play "If it's too good to be true, it probably is.".
I would expect to be able to find memory sticks online for up to 30% cheaper than retail prices, so when you see them at 50%-75% cheaper then more than likely something dodgy is going down. A perfect example of a potential counterfeit Sony memory stick is on this auction.

You're bidding on a brand new Sony memory stick pro duo, made in Japan(packaging not included due to shipping convenience) Retail Price - $420

The seller states that the item retails for $420 but the auction only had a $1 reserve (some of their others in the $70 range), also bare in mind that the success fee on $71.10 would be $4.19. It is very unlikely (impossible?) that the seller imported 1000's directly from Sony's factory and was able to get them for say $50 each, so if it only sold for the reserve price they would be loosing a lot of money. The seller also states that the packaging is not included due to shipping convenience, this should automatically trigger flashing red warning lights as memory sticks have minimal packaging and would not make any different to the shipping costs which they are charging.
Another gaffe on this auction is where the seller is asked if it is an authentic Sony memory stick, the seller responds

Yes, it is. please check out our 100% feedback and bid with confidence:)

But if you look at their feedback there is feedback more than a month prior to the question which states that the received memory stick is a fake.
Perhaps the seller is completely oblivious to the fact and it's their stockists who are pulling the wool? Even so it's their job to make sure the products are genuine, especially if questions around the authenticity have been raised.
Sorry just to rip on one seller, there are 1000's more out there. I have a bit more respect for sellers who at least don't pretend or claim that it's a Sony product, but with statements like "4GB maximum storage capacity with 1850 MB available" it's still not a good option.

So what's the problem if you happen to get one for a cheap or reasonable price? Well the main problem is the quality, a lot of the fakes will corrupt your data upon repeated use or they will only store half of the reported storage size before corrupting the entire card. When something does go wrong (and it seems like it will) you won't gets Sony's 5 year warranty. Plus doesn't it annoy you that you have intentionally been misled into buying a fake, especially in some cases where you could get a legitimate one for a little bit more?

So how can you tell if you have a fake memory stick? This guide is very helpful. Personally I have avoided buying these items new from online auctions, I would prefer to get them on reputable online stores such as Flash Cards, TasTech or Play Asia. But if you really must buy new from an auction site, make sure you check the sellers feedback, ask them questions about it's authenticity and refund policy, and finally compare their prices with the above reputable stores.

If you do end up with a fake, contact the seller straight away - perhaps it was an honest mistake? If you have no luck contact the auction site and if you can be bothered your local authorities (it is fraud!). These online auction sties with their ridiculous success fees ( don't even get me started) need to take some responsibility and act quickly on any counterfeit goods!