Fraudsters sell stripped RTX 5090 cards to unsuspecting buyers in Germany
A scammer in Germany sold two RTX 5090 graphics cards that had their core and memory chips removed, netting about $5,000. The cards were worthless but appeared functional until disassembly. The seller's price was suspiciously low, but buyers still fell for it.
The fraudulent hardware lacked both the GPU die and VRAM modules, rendering them completely non-functional. The first victim paid roughly 1,800 euros for a Palit GameRock OC, a fraction of its 4,999-euro retail price, and met the seller in person without a test rig. The second victim paid 2,250 euros, with the transaction reported on a German hardware forum.
The perpetrator bolstered credibility with seemingly legitimate purchase invoices, though the first buyer later discovered a serial number mismatch on the card. These hollow components join a broader trend of deceptive hardware, including fake memory sticks and SSDs containing microSD cards, highlighting the sophistication of these schemes.
This scam could significantly undermine consumer confidence in the second-hand market for premium electronics. Buyers seeking discounted flagship hardware may face substantial financial losses, as verifying internal components typically requires disassembly. The growing sophistication of fake invoices and in-person meetings may force buyers to demand rigorous on-site testing or rely solely on authorized retailers, potentially shifting purchasing habits and increasing the perceived risk of peer-to-peer transactions.