- The reports of various NVIDIA GPU scams continue to surface and the crooks find new ways to deceive buyers
- Some buyers claim to have received an old GPU or a bag of rice instead of the card they expected to obtain
- The shopping and the sale of a second hand are also riddled with delicate situations – my friend was scammed at $ 1,900
It is certainly not a buyer market for GPUs at the moment, which could explain why the scams are creeping. I always hear new ways whose crooks target buyers (and sellers) Best graphics cardsAnd honestly, some of them are really confusing.
Some people get bags of rice and pasta instead of a high -end GPU; Others get a backpack; And some people get what looks like a graphics card, but the interior reveals that it will never work.
To help you sail in the evolution of the obstacles of the purchase and sale of GPU at the moment, here is a guide of all the main scams to monitor – and how to avoid the fate of two of my unfortunate friends.
What types of GPU scams exist?
I started to notice the scams in the first days following the launch of RTX 5090. While trying to find one to sell on ebay, I noticed many announcements to the PDSF – but the verification of these announcements revealed that people did not sell the GPU, but rather a printed photo of the card. Yes, a photo, for $ 2,000 and more.
Since then, I have heard of more than a dozen innovative scams. Our Sister Tom’s Hardware site recently reported an Amazon client who ordered an Aorus RTX 5090 Gigabyte graphics card, but on arrival found the box filled with pasta, rice and a old dusty GPU.
I made the wonderful error to order a 5090 on Amazon Netherlands … in R / PCMasterrace
Meanwhile, a unlucky micro-center client has obtained Several backpacks Instead of the solid OC Solid Gaming RTX 5090, they expected to receive.
IT repair of the North West recently shared Another scam This seems to have migrated from RTX 4090 to RTX 5090. The repair workshop receives cards that have been stripped of the GPU and memory memory, leaving behind an empty shell which seems quite convincing … until you try to use it, that is to say.
To watch
Another YouTuber hardware repair, this time based in China, was sent four RTX 4090 graphics cards which would need repair, but opening them revealed RTX 3090 and RTX 3080 MODDED; Three of the cards were beyond recording (via Tom material).
Buying a second hand is not much easier. One of my friends recently tried to buy an open box RTX 5080 From a local Facebook group. He met the seller, paid the full price and returned home with a GPU who did not work. He must now turn to the authorities to get help to recover his money.
I obtained purchases at the Cabinet at the micro center of Santa Clara today. to microcenter
Even the sale of your GPU makes you vulnerable to scams. Another friend tried to sell his RTX 3090 once during the GPU shortage of 2021.
The person he had met would have had no money and did not show her his banking application, confirming the transfer of £ 1,400 (around $ 1,900). It looked legitimate, so he believed it, but it was a false application, and the money obviously never happened. Verification Reddit shows me that this scam still exists to date.
How to stay safe and get a legitimate GPU
Many scams that I have described above come from the platforms in which you normally have confidence. Amazon and micro center are both trustworthy, and yet things like this can happen, so it is important to remain vigilant.
On Amazon, I recommend buying from sellers you know and confident (or directly on Amazon). Small sellers, especially those who have unintelligible names, are better avoided if the list seems too beautiful to be true. The same rule applies to retailers: consult the return policies and do not buy inexpensive suspect GPUS.
Given the growing number of scams that involve the GPU box containing something other than what you have ordered, be sure to film the entire unpacking process. Ideally, start filming the moment you receive the package, then show step by step when you open it. A photo will not be enough because it is too easy to falsify. If you buy in store, open the box in front of an employee and inspect the content.
Buying a second hand can be a nightmare. Even meeting sellers does not always mean that you will get a GPU that really works and is real. Your best bet is to meet in a place that allows you to test the GPU before picking it up, but which opens a brand new box of worms, because you will have to enter the house of a stranger. An easier way is to buy platforms that offer buyers’ protection and film yourself to receive and open the GPU.
As a seller, do not be fooled by legitimate banking applications or promises to send you money on their return home. Use a platform that protects you both and the buyer. It can be a problem, but it is wild at the moment, so it’s really for the best.
