A YouTube repair channel, North West Repair, recently highlighted a disturbing case of tech fraud. A customer purchased what he thought was a GeForce RTX 4090 graphics card from Amazon, but analysis revealed it was actually a knockoff made up of RTX 4080 parts and other non-functional items .
The purchase of graphics cards has become fertile ground for scammers, as illustrated by a recent case where a consumer spent $2,600 on an RTX 3090 Ti, but received a packet of sand instead. This type of fraudwhich plays on the strong demand and high prices of these components, shows the ingenuity of scammers to deceive buyers.
Another scam involving the RTX 4090 saw fraudsters develop even more elaborate methods to trap players and technology enthusiasts. These scammers have managed to create convincing imitations of these graphics cards, selling them as genuine at attractive prices for attract victims. These incidents are far from being isolated cases, a repairer via his YouTube channel comes with an example to support the fact that consumers must exercise increased caution when purchasing high-end components.
RTX 4090: dismantling of a fake graphics card purchased on Amazon
Analysis of an RTX 4090 card by North West Repair on YouTube revealed a shocking reality. This came from a batch of returned products, more precisely from a “pallet deal” ofAmazon Returns. Beyond apparent damage such as a crack in the circuit board and a melted power connector, further investigation has revealed inconsistencies. Among those, using an RTX 4080 circuit board and a damaged GPU. Additionally, missing cooling pads and other faulty components were visible, suggesting haphazard and sloppy assembly, far from the quality expected on this model.
Despite appearances, the GPU marked “AD103-300-A1” actually corresponded to that of an RTX 4080, and not an RTX 4090 as the label claimed. This case illustrates a growing problem of counterfeiting in the electronic components market. This is particularly concerning for high-value products like graphics cards, whose prices can reach around $2,000. Fake componentsoften sold via batches of product returns, represent a serious risk for consumers.
In this context, the importance of careful inspection and in-depth technical knowledge when purchasing expensive components is crucial. This type of fraud highlights the need for extreme caution when purchasing returned or refurbished products. Buyers should be particularly vigilant and may consider contacting reliable sources or authorized retailers to avoid such disappointments.