More used Seagate HDDs disguised as new: Fraudsters make it tough to spot the difference

Physical examination of these units has revealed subtle signs of previous use, including minor dents in the housing, worn SATA connectors, and misaligned stickers — details that might escape casual inspection.

Seagate has confirmed at least one instance of fraudulent resale following a customer support inquiry, the report said. In a notable case, the company declined to provide warranty service in Europe for a drive whose serial number was already registered to a US customer, confirming suspicions about serial number reuse across regions.

Serial number manipulation: a new layer of deception

In a troubling development, investigators reported that fraudsters are now modifying HDD serial numbers to further legitimize used products. They appear to be reusing genuine serial numbers from authentic Seagate drives still under warranty. This method allows the altered drives to pass online warranty checks — at least initially.

However, this approach carries inherent risks for the fraudsters: If the same serial number is used multiple times, Seagate will likely detect duplicate warranty claims and take corrective action.

Seagate’s standard policy grants a five-year warranty on retail versions of IronWolf Pro drives. Normally, the company accounts for the time required for distribution and grants slightly more than five years from the production date.

“But in the case of counterfeit drives, the warranty exactly matches five years from the printed production date, raising further suspicion,” the report added.