New fear dropped: Amazon scammer seems to have delidded an $889 AMD chip, transplanted it on old Intel chip, and got it through return inspection
A Reddit user has discovered what appears to be a sophisticated fraud scheme involving Amazon’s return process. An expensive AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 processor—priced at $889—appears to have been modified through a technique called deliding, where the integrated heat spreader is removed from the chip, and then transplanted onto an older Intel processor package.
The fraudster allegedly managed to pass the modified chip through Amazon’s return inspection process, allowing it to be restocked and resold as a new item. The user discovered the scam when comparing two purportedly identical Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 chips and noticed they had visibly different pin layouts and physical characteristics, with the fraudulent chip missing components (likely capacitors) on its surface.
The incident exposes potential vulnerabilities in Amazon’s quality assurance procedures for returned items. The retailer’s policy permits inspected returns to be relisted as new inventory, but this case demonstrates that high-value fraud can slip through screening. The substantial cost of the affected processor—over $800—makes it an attractive target for this type of advanced counterfeit scheme.
The discovery raises concerns among consumers purchasing expensive computer components through Amazon’s marketplace, as similar fraud could theoretically affect other high-ticket hardware items circulating through the returns system.