Overview

• A U.S. seller on eBay found their RTX 4090 returned with GPU and VRAM chips desoldered after the buyer claimed it was defective.
• The seller had documented the card's condition with photos and insured the shipment, which helped secure a refund from eBay.
• The buyer's eBay profile appeared legitimate, featuring a storefront, a California business address, and 30,000 feedback ratings.
• The stolen components are suspected to be part of illicit supply chains, potentially repurposed for AI hardware in China.
• This incident underscores the growing risks in second-hand GPU markets, prompting calls for stricter platform oversight and consumer vigilance.