Nvidia RTX 5090 buyer is literally cleaned out as box contains no GPU, just laundry detergent — a reminder to be careful out there | Tech Radar

Overview

Nvidia RTX 5090 buyer is literally cleaned out as box contains no GPU, just laundry detergent — a reminder to be careful out there

A timely warning of the dangers around third-party sellers

Details

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The buyer of an RTX 5090 in India got a nasty surprise

They paid over $3,000 for a GPU box that contained laundry detergent

This was from a third-party seller on Amazon, and it's a timely reminder to avoid the temptation to buy expensive goods from such sources

Someone who reportedly bought an RTX 5090 GPU from Amazon in India found a pack of laundry detergent inside the box instead of the flagship graphics card, serving as a clear warning about trusting third-party marketplace sellers.

Video Cardz spotted this tale of woe on Reddit, and of course, as with all such reports, we have to take it with some seasoning – though it appears to be authentic (it's a very detailed fabrication if it's made up).

The Redditor explains how they purchased a Gigabyte RTX 5090 on Amazon in India from a third-party seller, via an order that was 'fulfilled by Amazon', a GPU that cost around $3,200 in the local currency.

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As you can see from the photo provided on Reddit (check it out below), what was actually in the battered box of the graphics card was a 1kg packet of Ghadi detergent.

The buyer has an unboxing video — though unfortunately for them, it's not continuously shot, and has been the cause of some skepticism from other Redditors — but it's clear the weight of the package (at 1.56kg on the official shipping label) is way too light for a boxed RTX 5090.

Hopefully, the latter point will prove key to getting a refund processed, but at the moment we're told Amazon has refused to issue a refund.

Seemingly this person is not the only one to have been sent laundry detergent in place of an expensive graphics card, as they have uncovered other similar complaints about the same third-party seller.

Analysis: scammers are more active in these days of pricey GPUs

Regardless of whether this is true (and as noted, that seems to be the case, although of course we can't know for sure), it serves as a timely reminder that, as GPU prices spiral, don't be tempted by deals from obscure third-party marketplace sellers on Amazon or any other retailer for that matter.

If it looks too good to be true, it probably is. And it just isn't worth the risk of spending thousands on a pretend product, whether that's a box with a rock or a lump of metal in it (as we've seen in the past with GPUs), or detergent (a new spin on this kind of scam). You're simply flirting with the possibility of getting burned.

Taking a punt on a cheap product isn't such a big deal, of course, but I really wouldn't consider a high-value purchase from a third-party seller, as it just isn't worth the potential grief. Yes, you should always be able to get your money back, but that process could be a stressful one.

And with expensive items, it really is sensible these days to record a full unboxing video as a matter of course (showing the whole package clearly unopened to begin with — or ideally, film from the moment of delivery).

➡️ Read our full guide to the best graphics card

1. Best overall: AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT
2. Best budget: Intel Arc B580
3. Best Nvidia: Nvidia RTX 5070 Ti
4. Best AMD: AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX

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Darren is a freelancer writing news and features for Tech Radar (and occasionally T3) across a broad range of computing topics including CPUs, GPUs, various other hardware, VPNs, antivirus and more. He has written about tech for the best part of three decades, and writes books in his spare time (his debut novel - 'I Know What You Did Last Supper' - was published by Hachette UK in 2013).

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Key Takeaways

• Nvidia RTX 5090 buyer is literally cleaned out as box contains no GPU, just laundry detergent — a reminder to be careful out there

• A timely warning of the dangers around third-party sellers

• When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission

• The buyer of an RTX 5090 in India got a nasty surprise

• They paid over $3,000 for a GPU box that contained laundry detergent