---
title: "RTX 5090 turns into a 'hollow shell': how scammers cut out chips and deceive buyers"
description: "The secondary market for graphics cards has turned into a minefield: scammers are selling RTX 5090s without chips, cutting them out using heat. How to recognize a 'hollow shell' and not lose money? 🚫💸"
date: 2026-05-28T11:54:07.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/rtx-5090-hollow-shells-scammers-cut-out-chips-en
tags: []
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# RTX 5090 turns into a 'hollow shell': how scammers cut out chips and deceive buyers

![Disassembled GeForce RTX 5090 graphics card with missing graphics processor and signs of overheating on the fiberglass](https://xab.info/media/2026/05/28/rtx-5090-pustyshki-moshenniki-vyrezayut-chipy/rtx-5090-fake-components.webp)

The dream of gamers and enthusiasts — the flagship GeForce RTX 5090 graphics card — has become the target of sophisticated fraud. The secondary market is flooded with 'headless' adapters that look new but are actually just printed circuit boards with thermal pads inside. The NorthWestRepair channel spoke about the scale of the problem and ways to identify fakes.

### Anatomy of a fake: how to recognize a 'hollow shell'

Repair specialists encountered a ZOTAC GeForce RTX 5090 Solid graphics card brought in for diagnostics. At first glance, the device appeared to be in working order, but a closer inspection revealed the deception. The main indicator was a broken factory seal on the mounting screws — a clear sign that the device had been opened.

However, the most alarming signals are hidden under the shroud. When the cooling system was removed, it was found that the main 'hardware' components were missing from the board: the GB202 graphics processor and GDDR7 memory chips. In their place lay only thermal pads designed to create the illusion of a massive chip.

### Traces of 'surgical' intervention

Scammers use a high-temperature method to remove chips without damaging the contact pads. This leaves characteristic traces on the board:

- The fiberglass changes color, becoming significantly darker due to burning.

- Fan connectors, usually white, turn gray or brown from overheating.

### Epidemic of 'empty' boxes

The problem goes beyond isolated cases on flea markets. Experts note that such 'hollow shells' are being sold en masse through social media, services like OfferUp, and even in the Amazon warehouse clearance section. Moreover, the fraud scheme works in reverse: dishonest buyers return expensive cards to sellers on marketplaces (such as eBay) after cutting out valuable components from them.

The situation is exacerbated by cases of product substitution during delivery. Users report receiving empty boxes for memory modules or packages filled with stones and towels instead of graphics cards worth thousands of dollars. Buying top-tier hardware now requires not only money but also vigilance.