Buying used high-end graphics cards is becoming risky with the emergence of new scams. Scammers are selling RTX 4090s without their main component, the AD102 GPU. Increased vigilance is therefore required during these transactions.
On platforms such as Facebook Marketplace, tempting ads offer RTX 4090s at low prices. very low price. A recent survey conducted by Northwestrepair and posted on YouTube reveals a new deception : behind the cooling system of these cards hides a empty printed circuit. In other words, buyers unfortunately find themselves with a card that does not contain a graphics processor, their main component.
Scammers buy used graphics cardsthen, they stripped of their vital components such as the GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) and their memory, which are essential for processing and storing graphics information. Then they resell empty as if they were fully operational. The victims of this new practice often find themselves with equipment that is nothing more than a very expensive metal carcass.
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RTX 4090: beware of offers that are too good to be true, they are often scams
To put things into perspective, an MSI Venus RTX 4090 graphics card typically sells for around €1,899 through authorized retailers such as Newegg or Amazon. However, duped buyers often pay less than €1,000 for a product which is, ultimately, completely unusable. This brings to mind an often forgotten rule of bargain shopping: if it’s too good to be true, there’s probably a reason.
Users who want to avoid such mishaps should therefore turn to reputable resellers or require proof of proper functioning. They can, for example, request recent performance tests before purchasing. Careful examination of the graphics card before purchase and a good knowledge of its technical specifications are crucial to ensure that you are not the next victim of this scam. By following these tips, buyers can effectively protect themselves against this type of fraud.