If you are planning to buy a new Intel CPU online, you might want to be extra careful. A Redditor recently discovered that he was scammed by Amazon UK, who sold him a fake Core i9-13900K processor. The fake CPU was actually a Core i7-13700K with a swapped IHS (integrated heat spreader), which is the metal cover that sits on top of the chip.
The Redditor, who goes by the username u/throwaway_13900k, posted his story on r/intel, along with photos and screenshots of his purchase. He said he bought the Core i9-13900K from Amazon UK for £585, which is close to the MSRP of the real CPU. He installed the CPU on his motherboard and ran some benchmarks, but noticed that his temperatures were too high and his performance was too low. He decided to check the serial number on the IHS against the one on the box, and found out that they did not match. He then removed the IHS and saw that the chip underneath was actually a Core i7-13700K, which is a cheaper and less powerful CPU.
“I was wondering why my temps were so high and why my CPU was underperforming so much. Turns out I got scammed by Amazon UK,” he wrote.
This is not the first time that someone has tried to scam people by selling fake CPUs online. This is an old scam technique that involves replacing the metal cover of a cheaper chip with that of a more expensive one. The scammer then sells the fake CPU as the real one, and pockets the difference. The performance difference between the two chips may not be very noticeable for some users, especially if they do not run intensive tasks or check their system information. This could explain why it took u/throwaway_13900k so long to discover the fraud.
The scammer could have been a previous buyer who returned the fake CPU to Amazon, or a dishonest employee who switched the IHS. Either way, this incident is a warning to check he authenticity of PC hardware before buying online.
The best way to avoid buying fake CPUs online is to buy from reputable sellers and authorized distributors, and to verify the authenticity of the product before installing it. PC Gamer has some tips and tricks to spot a counterfeit processor, such as checking the serial number, inspecting the packaging, looking for signs of tampering, and running diagnostic tools.
“The easiest way to spot a fake CPU is to check the serial number on the IHS against the one on the box. If they don’t match, you’ve got a problem,” PC Gamer said.
If you have bought a Core i9-13900K CPU from Amazon or any other site recently, you might want to double-check if it is genuine or not. You don’t want to end up paying for something that is not what it claims to be.
Relevant articles:
- Amazon customer discovers his Intel Core i9-13900K is an i7-13700K in disguise, TechSpot, September 4, 2023
- How to avoid buying fake CPUs online: tips and tricks to spot a counterfeit processor, PC Gamer, September 5, 2023
- Intel warns of fake Core i9-13900K CPUs sold on Amazon and other sites, PC World, September 6, 2023
- Amazon UK under fire for selling counterfeit Intel CPUs, The Register, September 7, 2023