Is your GPU fake?

I

IOIIOOIO

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I have decided to start a new thread for this seeing as this may be a problem that is affecting other people. You can view the original thread I posted where I was confused about the speeds that my card was running at here:

http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/showthread.php/832742-Why-is-my-GTX-750-core-only-running-at-783mhz

The card which was meant to be a GTX750 matched the specs of a GT450, and similar cards can be found on ebay... often with different branding applied to it. Even the bios verified that it was a GTX750. The supplier eventually replaced the card but it appears the new card they have given me is also a fake.

So, I would suggest that you check your card, check the branding on it and see if you can verify that it looks the same as the card that is on that manufacturers website. Also check your specs using GPUZ and verify if it matches those of the manufacturer. Bear in mind that GPUZ might give the correct name, but you must look at your clock speeds and various other specs. You can download GPUZ here:

https://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/

If you suspect that it may be fake please post photos here and mention where you bought it from because I believe it is in fact the supplier who is at fault here.

I'm doing this because of the principal of it all. You should be getting what you paid for and you're essentially buying something that is completely worthless since reselling it would be fraud. There also appears to be a larger problem at hand here. The store I got it from is a nationwide franchise and to the average consumer looks trustworthy. I'm pretty sure the store owner I collected it from the second time around had started to realise what was going on, and was previously unaware that the products on his shelf were a complete fraud.

The first card that I got looked like this (except it has ninja-vga branding on it):

81%2F81013253%2F81013253-5-150721085700.jpg

http://www.ebay.com/itm/351425248179?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

and it came from Matrix Warehouse in George.

Then the replacement card they gave me, which hilariously is also branded as a Ninja-VGA card but looks completely different:

s-l500.jpg

(except on my one the cooling cover is facing the opposite direction)
http://www.ebay.com/itm/GT740-2048M...al&tfrom=222086415988&tpos=unknow&ttype=price

and it came from Matrix Warehouse in Milnerton, Cape Town.
 
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Matrix head office is in Alberton JHB, im sure if they hear about this they will do something about it.
 
Seems your bad luck didn't stop with just one card. :(

I've come across many fake cards in my internet journeys.

Here's how to check:

GPU-z : https://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/

GPU-z is a great little application that's useful for monitoring all the important stuff about your graphics card.
Things like Shader counts are a good tell, but not always guaranteed as certain cards like the Nvidia GT 730 are rebrands of older cards, and have varying specifications.
Clock speeds vary depending on the manufacturer, so different clock speeds aren't a sign you've got a fake card.
A great way to check with GPUz is to google the "BIOS Version" of your own card, Techpowerup have a huge database, and you can see what BIOS the card actually is.


A great way to avoid fake cards is to buy from reputable stores who buy high quality components.
Here are a few I'd recommend: Wootware Evetech RebelTech Frontosa
Avoid weird stores that buy unknown Chinese-brand parts like Matrix or "your local pc shop here", (Google before you buy)
I've been to flea-markets where they're selling fake cards in MSI boxes and whatnot, so don't take it at face value.

Check what brand of component you're getting, avoid fake brands like "Ninja-VGA" and the like, but any reputable brand that you can google and find reviews for should be great. (MSI, Zotac, Powercolor, Galax, KFA2, Gigabyte, Sapphire, )
 
Faux_Grey said:
Seems your bad luck didn't stop with just one card. :(

I've come across many fake cards in my internet journeys.

Here's how to check:

GPU-z : https://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/

GPU-z is a great little application that's useful for monitoring all the important stuff about your graphics card.
Things like Shader counts are a good tell, but not always guaranteed as certain cards like the Nvidia GT 730 are rebrands of older cards, and have varying specifications.
Clock speeds vary depending on the manufacturer, so different clock speeds aren't a sign you've got a fake card.
A great way to check with GPUz is to google the "BIOS Version" of your own card, Techpowerup have a huge database, and you can see what BIOS the card actually is.


A great way to avoid fake cards is to buy from reputable stores who buy high quality components.
Here are a few I'd recommend: Wootware Evetech RebelTech Frontosa
Avoid weird stores that buy unknown Chinese-brand parts like Matrix or "your local pc shop here", (Google before you buy)
I've been to flea-markets where they're selling fake cards in MSI boxes and whatnot, so don't take it at face value.

Check what brand of component you're getting, avoid fake brands like "Ninja-VGA" and the like, but any reputable brand that you can google and find reviews for should be great. (MSI, Zotac, Powercolor, Galax, KFA2, Gigabyte, Sapphire, )
Click to expand...

Interested to know what you think of Forsa? Apparently they're a local brand? The serial number for the card I first bought was actually registered as a Forsa card... Sorry you'd actually have to read that other thread to get up to speed with everything that has transpired. The card I bought was second-hand and when I discovered there was something whacky with it I contacted the store it was originally bought from becasue I was worried I had been scammed by the guy I bought it from. I gave them the serial number and they told me it was a Forsa card.. but the sticker on mine was Ninja-VGA and and didn;t look anything like the Forsa GTX750. I was actually just going through the motions when I returned it - thinking that they would confirm it was fake and I would then have something to go to the police with and place charge of fraud if the guy refused to give me a refund. To my surprise and confusion the supplier agreed to swap it out... but now it seems they just gave me another fake card.
 
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Sorry to hijack your thread.
I had the same experience while building a PC for my buddy.
We bought a graphics card from a small computer shop in our town a Forsa GTS 450 1GB.
I noticed this card didn't require a 6-pin connector which is unusual because TDP is 106w.
When we got home installed GPU-Z immediately and noticed there's only 96 CUDA cores and 256MB.
It was a flashed 9600 GSO :o before this I didn't even know fake GPU's existed.
 
dsimonse said:
Sorry to hijack your thread.
I had the same experience while building a PC for my buddy.
We bought a graphics card from a small computer shop in our town a Forsa GTS 450 1GB.
I noticed this card didn't require a 6-pin connector which is unusual because TDP is 106w.
When we got home installed GPU-Z immediately and noticed there's only 96 CUDA cores and 256MB.
It was a flashed 9600 GSO :o before this I didn't even know fake GPU's existed.
Click to expand...

Ya my one colleague has been coding for ten years, builds robots n **** and he just kept laughing at me saying there's no way, it's probably just faulty. He did also say he wouldn't buy from Matrix though.
 
IOIIOOIO said:
Ya my one colleague has been coding for ten years, builds robots n **** and he just kept laughing at me saying there's no way, it's probably just faulty. He did also say he wouldn't buy from Matrix though.
Click to expand...

That's the thing. Building robots or programming doesn't automatically mean you know jack **** about graphics cards. People always think that if someone has anything to do with the IT industry at all they automatically know everything.

DB admin? He knows everything about IT.
Network engineer? He knows everything about IT.
Project manager? He knows everything about IT.
Sysadmin? He knows everything about IT.

And all of them can fix your computer when it breaks :D
 
IOIIOOIO said:
Interested to know what you think of Forsa? Apparently they're a local brand? The serial number for the card I first bought was actually registered as a Forsa card... Sorry you'd actually have to read that other thread to get up to speed with everything that has transpired. The card I bought was second-hand and when I discovered there was something whacky with it I contacted the store it was originally bought from becasue I was worried I had been scammed by the guy I bought it from. I gave them the serial number and they told me it was a Forsa card.. but the sticker on mine was Ninja-VGA and and didn;t look anything like the Forsa GTX750. I was actually just going through the motions when I returned it - thinking that they would confirm it was fake and I would then have something to go to the police with and place charge of fraud if the guy refused to give me a refund. To my surprise and confusion the supplier agreed to swap it out... but now it seems they just gave me another fake card.
Click to expand...

I haven't heard of Forsa in about 8+ years.
Whenever I'd go to a LAN everyone would have those cards. (way before online stores were used often.)
Chinese brand so you don't see many cards out there (on English websites at least)
Knock-off cards will usually piggyback on lesser-known brands like that, so you never really know.

As long as your card has the right amount of cores you're good to go. :D
Btw MSI 750ti @ evetech was cheaper than you paid for your knock-off, second-hand not-a-750. :(

Stop messing around, get your cash back and pay an extra 50 bucks for delivery from an online store. :P
 
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Faux_Grey said:
I haven't heard of Forsa in about 8+ years.
Whenever I'd go to a LAN everyone would have those cards. (way before online stores were used often.)
Chinese brand so you don't see many cards out there (on English websites at least)
Knock-off cards will usually piggyback on lesser-known brands like that, so you never really know.

As long as your card has the right amount of cores you're good to go. :D
Btw MSI 750ti @ evetech was cheaper than you paid for your knock-off, second-hand not-a-750. :(

Stop messing around, get your cash back and pay an extra 50 bucks for delivery from an online store. :P
Click to expand...

Ya I'm trying to get a refund but the problem is the branch it was originally bought from is halfway across the country... so now I have to wait for their admin process of 2-3 weeks before I can get it. I am fuming! :mad:

Here is the thing though... this isn't some cheaply built GTX750, as one might presume if you were buying what looked like a cheap Chinese brand. This is 100% fraud, it has the core of a GT440. There is an important difference here. It's also the reason why most people are not aware that there is such a thing as a "fake" graphics card (and hence why my colleague just laughed at the idea) because essentially the core of this thign is not "fake" in the strictest terms. It is an original Nvidia GPU, it's just not the GPU it says it is. It's like taking a Merecedes C Class engine and putting it in an A Class body and selling it as one. That doesn't make the car fake, it makes the seller a scam artist and a fraud. I feel this is an important distinction to make, because as the saying goes "Fool me once shame on YOU".

Edit: What I find even more suspicious is that the original serial number is registered as a Forsa graphics card on their systems, but the brand I have is a Ninja. This would suggest to me that they are aware that this is a fraudulent product that they are knowingly selling to unsusupecting customers and they are trying to cover it up by selling it under a legitimate brand on paper.
 
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I've had issues with a Forsa GPU from Matrix Warehouse about 6 years ago. The card was doing artifacts randomly. Gave it in for a refund. Waited the whole 30 days period until it was issued and they never tried to replace the product with a substitute. Haven't purchased a Forsa GPU since then, haven't purchased from Matrix Warehouse since then and the branch closed down not long after that.
 
rwenzori said:
If you do get a full purchase price refund, I hope you hand some of that over to the guy you bought it from second hand.
Click to expand...

I've already spoken to him about it he's not interested in getting involved and doesn't want to hear any more about it. I actually wanted him to give me my cash back since he can return it to the branch he bought it from without much difficulty and get an instant refund without having to go through the lengthy process that I have to go through. The only way I could force his hand is by pressing a fraud charge against him... but obviously not gonna do that. It does highlight the seriousness of the matter though, I would have pressed charges against him straight away if I had listened to most peoples advice, so basically an innocent person would have been in serious, serious trouble because of the actions of Matrix Warehouse.

Not to mention all the time and money I've now spent trying to run around getting this issue resolved. I'm half tempted to sue for damages because I can get free representation so there is no risk in it for me (my brother is a partner in one of the best law firms in KZN) but time is a factor here as well.. I just want my money back now so I can move on already.
 
Furthermore there are actually three parties who have grounds to press charges/sue here. First there's nVidia who's product has been stolen and appropriated illegally and their copyrights infringed upon. There's ninja whose brand has been appropriated illegally and their copyrights infringed upon. And lastly of course myself who has been defrauded and therefore have grounds to sue for damages.
 
IOIIOOIO said:
The only way I could force his hand is by pressing a fraud charge against him... but obviously not gonna do that. It does highlight the seriousness of the matter though,
Click to expand...

Getting all huffy and litigious would have just been childish, and futile. "Seriousness": hardly of "the sky is falling" variety, but good of you to warn others.
 
rwenzori said:
Getting all huffy and litigious would have just been childish, and futile. "Seriousness": hardly of "the sky is falling" variety, but good of you to warn others.
Click to expand...

I don't undesratnd your reasoning that standing up to a scam artist and following the legal process is childish? Or futile for that matter. I obviously can;t speak for you but I kinda think of breaking the law and making (probably) very large amounts of money from it as a serious thing. Also have you ever been arrested and spent time in a holding cell because of false accusations? I have and I can tell you that if you suggested that it wasn't a serious situation I would go ape ****. Aside from the trauma that little incident would have cost me R10k in lawyer fees if I weren't lucky enough to have my brother, not to mention all the people who are currently being held for trial literally for months at a time (usually becasue they can't afford a good lawyer and the lawyers the state provide for you seriously couldn't give a **** about your welfare).
 
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