TECH NEWS – After graphics cards and processors, memory has become another component where buyers can no longer be sure they’re getting what they paid for.

It appears that DDR5 RAM has become the latest target for scammers. Fake memory kits are reportedly making their way into the inventories of major online retailers, with modules that look like DDR5 on the outside but turn out to be something entirely different. Counterfeit CPUs and GPUs have long slipped through supply chains, and now memory seems to have joined that list.

While cases of fake hardware sales are still relatively rare, several factors make them more likely. High demand combined with limited supply creates ideal conditions for fraud, and scammers seem to have identified memory as the next profitable component to exploit.

According to a post shared on Reddit, one user may be among the first known victims of this DDR5-related scam. The buyer ordered a dual-module DDR5 RAM kit from Amazon and immediately noticed that the heat spreaders on the modules felt loose.

Despite this warning sign, the user proceeded with the PC build, only to discover that the RAM could not be inserted into the motherboard. Photos posted online clearly show that the notch on the module is not centered, as it should be with DDR5 memory. This detail reveals the truth: the modules were actually DDR4 sticks, identifiable by the slightly offset cutout relative to the gold contacts.

Both modules appeared identical, and once the heat spreaders were removed, the user found unfamiliar memory chips underneath. What makes the situation more troubling is that the purchase was not made through a third-party seller, but directly from Amazon.

Given that DDR5 RAM is currently one of the most expensive PC components on the market, it’s no surprise that scammers would target it. In this case, the method was straightforward: genuine DDR5 modules were sold elsewhere, while their outer casings were attached to older DDR4 memory. Although Amazon refunded the purchase, the buyer now faces higher costs, as DDR5 prices continue to rise daily. No one knows when prices will peak, and it could take up to six months.

After incidents like this, it’s fair to wonder what component scammers will target next to deceive unsuspecting customers.

Source: WCCFTech