Over on /r/NintendoHelp, a frequently asked question involves MicroSD cards that are displaying corruption errors.
Almost every single time that someone asks about SD corruption, the answer to what is happening is the same:
The person in question has bought a **fake MicroSD card**.
Fakes are common, but they’re also really easy to avoid. Here are some tips for avoiding fakes:
* Stick to well-known brands. Samsung, SanDisk, Toshiba, Kingston, etc. Do not buy MicroSD cards from unusual brands.
* Stick to well-known sellers. Ideally, buy your card from a brick and mortar retailer. If you buy your card on Amazon, make sure you’re buying directly from Amazon and not a third-party seller.
* Don’t buy it if the price is too good to be true. For example, if a card is over 500 GB and you’re paying less than $100 USD for it, there’s a 100% chance you’re buying a fake card.
Fake MicroSD cards **do not work at all**. There is no way around this.
[Here is a video on fake USB flash drives](https://youtu.be/HFY5hd273lI), which operate on the same concept.
Do not get scammed!