The graphics card shortage is more or less easing up, with prices coming down and GPUs more in stock on shelves. But it doesn't mean that scammers are also quitting, as this one PC gamer found out when he ordered his new RTX 3090 Ti.
nvidia rtx 3090 ti
TikToker Mauricio Takeda ordered a Palit GameRock NVIDIA RTX 3090 Ti from Amazon recently, hoping to beef up his gaming PC and be set for the next several years - unless he decides to upgrade, but we digress. But as reported by GameRant, Amazon didn't send him a 3090 Ti at all - but a freaking box full of containers of sand.
Takeda posted a video of the unboxing to his TikTok account, which has now earned over 642K likes, 20K comments, and over 14K shares at the time of this writing:
@maurisousa_ Comprei uma placa de vídeo e recebi potes de areia da @amazon ♬ som original - MauriSousa_
According to him, he was suspicious of the box's weight - it didn't feel like it contained a beefy RTX 3090 Ti. And his suspicions were right, as it was just another of those freaking GPU scams preying on the unsuspecting folks. Considering how much a 3090 Ti still costs upwards of $1500 at the cheapest (Takeda paid EVEN more at roughly $2,600), this is just absolutely insane - and extremely scummy.
What's even worse is that when Takeda contacted Amazon, he reportedly received a link to delete his Amazon account instead of actual help, writes PCGamesN. Incensed at the horrible "customer service," he filed a lawsuit which prompted the retail giant to resolve the issue finally.
For now, it seems like this gamer's case is an isolated one and not something one would experience on a normal day. Furthermore, graphics card prices have been dropping, especially for NVIDIA's RTX 3000 series. That's because the 4000 series is just around the corner - though numerous reports say the company is sitting on a stockpile of 3000 series GPUs they can't shift.
If you're going to pay upwards of $1,500-$2,600 for a graphics card, it pays to take extra care when it comes to making an online purchase. So be extra vigilant out there, folks.
Read also: Check Out This Fully Custom 'Ultimate Steam Deck' From Linus Tech Tips
How To Avoid GPU Scams
GPU scams like this bait-and-switch abomination of practice, while not exactly common, are still out there. Most of the time, scammers do send you an actual graphics card - just not the one you think you pay for. Say you think you're buying an RTX 3090 Ti, but in reality, you spend over $2,000 for a freaking GTS 450 or something else.
These kinds of scam graphics cards almost always get sold online. The biggest offenders are Wish, AliExpress, and eBay. But sometimes, even bigger retailers like Amazon do sell them, so you need to watch out. To help you identify these GPU scams, here is a video from the YouTube channel RMD Tech:
The best way to avoid getting scammed is to buy from a legitimate retailer, bar none. It could be a local MicroCenter, a reputable PC parts store with an actual brick-and-mortar location, or even straight from AMD or NVIDIA's website. Only buy from a site like eBay or a secondhand seller if you know what you're doing.
Good luck with your GPU hunt!
Related: Graphics Card Specs 101: The Most Important Ones EXPLAINED