1. Look at the module sticker
A genuine ZION module carries a single tamper-evident sticker with the SKU, serial number, capacity, speed, voltage, and the ZION wordmark. The font and colour should be consistent across all units in the same SKU. A sticker that has obviously been peeled and reapplied, or with mismatched font weights, is a red flag.
2. Cross-check the serial against the SPD
Every module has an SPD (serial presence detect) chip that reports its identity to the BIOS. Tools like CPU-Z (Windows) or `dmidecode` (Linux) can read this. The reported part number, capacity, and speed should match the printed sticker exactly. A mismatch isn't always counterfeiting - sometimes it's an honest re-label - but it's worth investigating.
3. Inspect the PCB
A genuine module has a clean, evenly-soldered PCB with no visible flux residue, no skewed chip placement, and no obvious rework marks. The trace pattern should look factory, not hand-finished.
4. Buy from authorised resellers
The single best protection is the channel. Buying ZION through an authorised reseller or distributor means the warranty, the SPD record, and the serial all line up cleanly when you file a claim. Unauthorised street-market units may work for years - or fail in week one with no recourse.
5. When in doubt, write to us
Send photos of both sides of the module plus the SPD report to warranty@abacusperipherals.com. We'll verify the serial against our MES records and tell you whether the unit was produced by us.