What was supposed to be a simple purchase for a minor repair turned into a major scam. A buyer purchased a graphics card from an Amazon returns lot. The description “damaged in transit” gave no indication of what was to come!
Amazon: beware of return lot scams!
Immediately after receipt, the card was sent to the renowned NorthWest Repair technician, who inspected it a little more closely.
If at first glance everything seems ok, in reality, many small details show that it’s not. The PCB was cracked at the PCIe connector, and the 12VHPWR in the power supply was melted. On closer inspection, it turned out that the “warranty void if removed” seal on the GPU screws was a fake… while the screws had been tightened in the wrong way.
Worst of all, once the heatsink had been removed… nothing was right! Between the “ripped” thermal pads, the missing VRM coils and various burnt-out components, it sets the tone. What’s more, the GPU isn’t even the right one! The original purchase was for an RTX 4090, which the PCB seems to correctly inform… But that the soldered GPU corresponded to an RTX 4090M. In short, a merry assembly of irreparable odds and ends, all from an Amazon returns pallet.
In short, be careful what you buy on Amazon Occasion. When you receive it, be sure to take photos/videos of your unpacking to cover yourself in case anything goes wrong.
