GPU scams have recently taken a new high, as individuals have found new ways to fool the average consumer, one of which is to ship out an empty RTX 5090.
Buying the GeForce RTX 5090 at MSRP Could Get You Into an “Emptied-Out” GPU Scam Pretty Easily
There’s no doubt that the demand for graphical computation has seen a massive rise over the past few months, part of which has to be attributed to how AI engineers are looking for compute power through consumer GPUs. Interestingly, individuals are repackaging consumer GPUs by equipping them with higher VRAM capacities, such as a 48 GB RTX 4090 GPU, but to get essential components, there are basically “donor GPUs”, where VRAMs and onboard silicon are taken out. Those “emptied-out” donor GPUs are being sold at many marketplaces by fooling consumers, making them believe they are getting a functional unit.
The renowned repairer, NorthwestRepair, has provided the public with details about this scam. He received a GeForce RTX 5090, which was bought for $2,000 by a user who thought he was getting a unit at MSRP. What happened was that, when the GPU was opened up, it had an empty PCB, which meant that all the GDDR7 memory modules and the main GPU chip were taken out. Interestingly, the consumers were completely unaware of the actual reason behind their GPU not working, and they sent in the units to the repair shop, thinking it was a “service fault”, but there was a lot more behind.
Another interesting fact is that the units had backplate screws with damaged heads, making it difficult for an average consumer to open them and look inside. NorthwestRepair recommends that consumers not open such units since it could potentially damage the onboard PCB. Now, falling for this scam is pretty easy, since many retail listings look completely legitimate, with MSRP pricing, and many consumers would be lured into the attractive headlines, only to get an empty GPU with the massive amount they are spending.
Now, how do we prevent such scams? Firstly, take a closer look at the MSRP lists of GPUs such as the GeForce RTX 5090, since getting them at $1,999 is simply impossible unless you can buy them from the US Navy. Make sure to select authorized retailers or physical stores for your hardware needs, and use platforms like eBay or Craigslist as your last resort. Getting GPUs in current times is an expensive venture, especially the higher-end ones, but it is better safe than sorry.
