WTF?! Amazon Customer Receives Fake RTX 4090 in Shocking Graphics Card Scam

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In yet another cautionary tale that highlights the importance of consumer vigilance when purchasing graphics cards, a disgruntled customer recently discovered they had been duped into buying a counterfeit RTX 4090 from Amazon.

The shocking incident serves as a stark reminder that even well-known retailers are not immune to fraudulent practices.

The unfortunate buyer, who initially received the card with apparent "shipping damage," turned to North West Repair (NWR) for assistance. The repair service documented the case on its YouTube channel, unveiling a series of alarming revelations about the fake graphics card.

Upon visual inspection, NWR discovered a massive crack in the printed circuit board (PCB) and a melted power connector—issues reminiscent of previous incidents involving RTX 4090 cards. However, the true extent of the deception became apparent during a deeper examination.

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One red flag was the presence of a counterfeit anti-tamper warranty sticker covering one of the screws, suggesting foul play. Upon attempting to disassemble the card, NWR encountered screws that were overtightened, with two proving resistant and requiring soaking in alcohol for removal.

The subsequent removal of the back cover and heatsink exposed further anomalies. Notably, the heating pads only covered half of the memory chips, and the GPU exhibited signs of severe damage, along with other fried components on the PCB.

To add to the deception, the card's serial number indicated it was an RTX 4090 with 24GB of VRAM. However, the AD103-300-A1 code identified it as an RTX 4080. Although NWR initially referred to it as an RTX 4090 laptop GPU in their video, a clarification in the YouTube comments confirmed this as a mistake.

The damning verdict from NWR was that the card was deemed "no fix" due to irreparable damage.

Image Credit - Techspot

This incident echoes a growing trend of fraudulent graphics card transactions on Amazon. In December 2022, a Canadian buyer received a fake RTX 3060Ti filled with putty-like substance instead of the genuine product. Amazon's policy of withholding refunds until the "correct" item is returned has been a source of frustration for affected customers.

However, in this latest case, a unique twist emerged as the customer had purchased the card as part of a pallet deal featuring Amazon returns. Such schemes often involve unscrupulous individuals replacing working cards with fake ones, duping unsuspecting buyers into purchasing defective products.

As the graphics card market continues to grapple with scams and counterfeits, consumers are urged to exercise heightened caution, especially when dealing with second-hand or returned products from online marketplaces.

The incident serves as a stark reminder of the need for robust measures to protect consumers in the fast-evolving tech market.