High-end cards are expensive enough that scams around them have become their own industry. The fix is simple but you have to do it every time: buy where returns are easy, record the unboxing, and confirm the card is what you paid for before the return window closes.

Scams that have actually happened

  • Empty boards. In June 2025, a repair shop opened a Zotac RTX 5090 bought for $2,000 and found the GPU chip and all the memory removed from the board (Tom's Hardware).
  • Rocks in the box. In January 2026, an RTX 5090 ordered from Amazon Resale arrived with rocks and a towel (Tom's Hardware).
  • Swapped cards. Buyers of a used RTX 5090 deal in November 2025 reported receiving a 5080 in a 5090 box, caught by checking the card in GPU-Z (Slickdeals).

The checklist

  1. Buy from a store with a real return policy, such as Best Buy open box or Amazon Resale, over a stranger with no protection.
  2. Be suspicious of a price far below the market. A 5090 at half the going rate from an unknown seller is the classic setup.
  3. Record the unboxing in one take, starting with the sealed shipping box and its label.
  4. Check the weight and the seals before you open the inner box.
  5. Install it and open GPU-Z (free, from TechPowerUp). The name, GPU chip and memory size must match the listing.
  6. Run a game or a stress test for at least an hour and watch for crashes and temperatures.
  7. Return right away if anything is off, inside the window, with your video.

If you are reselling

Sellers get hit too. In March 2026, an eBay seller got a $4,000 Zotac RTX 5090 back from a buyer's return and only found the GPU chip and memory missing after taking the cooler off (Tom's Hardware). Record your own packing, note serial numbers, and photograph the card and its board before it ships.