Massive Counterfeit Seagate Hard Drive Bust: A Chia Mining Fallout?
2025-08-16
Malaysian authorities recently raided a warehouse outside Kuala Lumpur, uncovering approximately 700 counterfeit Seagate hard drives. These drives, suspected to originate from China's Chia cryptocurrency mining boom, were refurbished and resold at low prices on platforms like Shopee and Lazada. The counterfeiters reset SMART values and relabeled the drives to appear new. This bust is likely the tip of the iceberg, with estimates suggesting millions of these refurbished drives are in circulation. Seagate has responded by strengthening its partner program and implementing a Global Trade Screening (GTS) process.