- Reports from different NVIDIA GPU fraud continues to surface and scammers find new ways to fool shoppers
- Some buyers claim to have received old GPUs or a bag of rice instead of the card they expected to get
- Shopping and sale of used also used with difficult situations-min friend was scammed out of $ 1,900
It is certainly not a buyer’s market for GPUs right now, which may explain why scams are driving violently. I still hear about new ways in which scammers are targeted at buyers (and sellers) of Best graphics cardAnd honestly, some of them are really confusing.
Some people get bags of rice and pasta instead of an advanced GPU; Others get a backpack; And some get what looks like a graphics card, but the inside reveals that it never works.
To help you navigate the obstacle course of buying and selling GPUs right now, here is a guide to all the most important scams to look after – and how to avoid fate for two of my unfortunate friends.
What kind of GPU fraud is out there?
I started noticing scams in the early days after the launch of RTX 5090. While trying to find one for sale on eBay, I noticed a lot of lists on MSRP – but control of these lists revealed that people did not sell GPU but rather a printed photo of the card. Yes, a photo, for $ 2,000 and up.
Since then I have heard about a dozen innovative fraud. Our sister website Toms Hardware recently reported an Amazon customer ordering a gigabyte Aorus RTX 5090 graphics card, but found upon arrival that the box was filled with pasta, rice and an old, dusty GPU.
I made the wonderful mistake of ordering a 5090 from Amazon Holland … from R/PCMASTERRACE
Meanwhile got an unlucky micro center customer More backpacks Instead of Zotac Gaming RTX 5090 Solid and they expected to receive.
Northwest Computer Repair recently shared Another scam It seems to be migrated from the RTX 4090 to RTX 5090. The repair shop receives cards that have been deprived of GPU and the memory dies, leaving an empty shell that looks convincingly enough … until you try to use it, that is.
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Another hardware repair YouTuber, this time based in China, was sent four RTX 4090 graphics cards that were reportedly needed for repair, but opening them revealed Modded RTX 3090 and RTX 3080S; Three of the cards were without hiding (via Toms Hardware).
It is not much easier to buy used. A friend of mine recently tried to buy an open box RTX 5080 From a local Facebook group. He met with the seller, paid the full price and went home with a GPU that didn’t work. He now has to go to the authorities for help to recover his money.
I was scammed to buy at the Micro Center in Santa Clara today. from r/microcenter
Even selling your GPU makes you vulnerable to scams. Another friend once tried to sell his RTX 3090 under GPU deficiency of 2021.
The person he met with allegedly did not have cash and showed him instead of their bank app and confirmed the transfer of £ 1,400 (about $ 1,900). It looked legitimate, so he believed it, but it was a fake app and the money obviously never arrived. Control Reddit shows me that this scam still exists today.
How to stay secure and get a legitimate gpu
Many of the scams I outlined above came from platforms that you would normally trust. Amazon and Micro Center are both reliable, and yet things like this can happen, so it is important to remain vigilant.
At Amazon, I recommend buying from sellers you know and trust (or directly from Amazon). Smaller sellers, especially those with incomprehensible names, are best avoided if the list sounds too good to be true. The same rule applies to retailers: Look at return policies and do not buy suspicious cheap GPUs.
Given the increasing number of scams involving the GPU box that contains something other than what you ordered, make sure to film the entire unboxing process. Ideally, begin to film the moment you receive the package, and then show step by step when you open it. A photo is not sufficient as it is too easy to manipulate. If you buy in the store, open the box in front of an employee and inspect the content.
Buying used can be a nightmare. Even meeting with salespeople does not always mean that you get a GPU that actually works and is real. Your best effort is to meet in a place that allows you to test GPU before you pick it up, but it opens a brand new can of worms as you will have to get into a stranger’s home. An easier way is to buy through platforms that offer buyer protection and film yourself that receives and opens GPU.
As a seller, don’t fool of legitimate bank apps or promises to send you money when they get home. Use a platform that protects both you and the buyer. It can be a hassle, but it’s crazy out there right now, so it’s really for the best.
