Scammers are selling counterfeit DDR5 RAM with plastic chips

Counterfeit DDR5 RAM is showing up on online storefronts and auction sites, including modules with fake plastic or fiberglass parts instead of real DRAM.

Desktop memory kits are especially hard to inspect because heatspreaders hide the chips, making the scams difficult to spot before purchase.

The fraud is being driven by DDR5 shortages and price hikes, which are creating demand in gray-market and online resale channels.

Buyers risk wasting money on unusable hardware, and the trend could further erode trust in online memory sales.