- Joined
- Dec 14, 2010
So, a while back I encountered a company known as NexGenComputers/NexGenProducts/NexGenComputerServices/nexgencomputers.com/nexgencomputerservices.com. They had purchased a graphics card from me (via ebay) which had a 14 day return window, then 18-19 days after receiving it this company (or an employee of the company) submitted a return request. So, I send a couple of PM's to ask what was wrong, what the problem seemed to be, and when they started experiencing a problem (at least looking to see if any general troubleshooting had been done). After two days I had received no responses of any kind. So, with no information to go on other than a cryptic message in the return request to the effect of "doesn't work," I decide to approve the return assuming that either they had made some mistake during testing or it had been damaged in shipping (and just because I don't want a buyer to be upset).
A few days later I receive a box in the mail from this company. I looked it over, it was in the original graphics card box I shipped it in so it looked okay at first. The serial number on the box matched the one on the card. But, here's where the problems begin. I take the card out of the box and notice that the serial number sticker is ripped nearly in half (wasn't like that when I shipped it) and has clearly been tampered with (half of the sticker wasn't even affixed to the card) as well as a second sticker that has clearly been tampered with (wasn't in the same position as it was in on the card I sold). Then notice that a third sticker is in a different position than it was in when I packed up the original card to ship, and the number on this sticker doesn't match the original. The plastic shroud over the fan and heat sink is pretty scuffed up (whereas the one I shipped was pristine with no scratches or scuffs). Then I decide to take apart the card to look for further identifying marks, the screws on the card are still held in place by the original loctite from the factory (and are torqued down so tight it could have only been done by a machine, and likely at the factory). I had taken apart my card to clean it and apply new thermal paste before listing it; therefore, this couldn't possibly be my card. This card was pretty filthy when I got it apart, clearly hadn't been cleaned probably ever, whereas I had cleaned mine thoroughly before listing it for sale.
The list goes on, managed to get it to boot up to the OS and look up the card's ASIC value in GPU-Z (even with it artifacting and randomly glitching out). My card had a 77.9% quality, the card I received had 72.5% quality though. ASIC quality doesn't change over time that I know of, so this is seemingly a real smoking gun.
After all this I call them probably 12-15 times over multiple days, and left voice messages to attempt to explain that they had sent back the wrong card. Only managed to get one of their employees to answer the phone once, who seemed clueless and claimed whoever dealt with the ebay side of their business wasn't in that day and would be in the next day (they weren't there the next day either, or the day following that). This person insists I send an email to their support email, so I sent a few of those. Over a week later, no responses to my PM's, emails, or phone calls with voicemail messages.
It seems this company is scamming sellers on ebay (and possibly elsewhere) by sending back similar(ish) hardware after swapping stickers from one item to another. Probably scamming their customers too, it wouldn't surprise me based upon what I've seen from them thus far. Funnily enough they only cut off all contact after I shipped the item out to them originally, as I had gotten one or two PM's from them before shipping it out.
This seems to be a real fly by night company, their website had multiple links that went to nowhere last time I checked and images that didn't work plus the fact that they almost never answer their phone lines. I suspect they're losing money, and are making it up by scamming providers of the items they buy just to get by. It's also odd that they seem to go by multiple different names, depending upon who you ask or where you look.
Ebay was no help, claimed that if I received any shipment from the buyer I was required to send a refund unless I could get the buyer to admit they still had the item I had sold them (regardless of the fact I had proof that the item I received wasn't the correct one). Then another time said I could dispute the request on the grounds that what I received did not match the original item. This story seemed to change depending upon who I was speaking to and/or what day of the week and time of day I called. Kept getting conflicting information from different CS representatives.
Since they seem intent on not offering to resolve or even discuss the situation, I figure I may as well warn others so as not to have others be victims of this company.
A few days later I receive a box in the mail from this company. I looked it over, it was in the original graphics card box I shipped it in so it looked okay at first. The serial number on the box matched the one on the card. But, here's where the problems begin. I take the card out of the box and notice that the serial number sticker is ripped nearly in half (wasn't like that when I shipped it) and has clearly been tampered with (half of the sticker wasn't even affixed to the card) as well as a second sticker that has clearly been tampered with (wasn't in the same position as it was in on the card I sold). Then notice that a third sticker is in a different position than it was in when I packed up the original card to ship, and the number on this sticker doesn't match the original. The plastic shroud over the fan and heat sink is pretty scuffed up (whereas the one I shipped was pristine with no scratches or scuffs). Then I decide to take apart the card to look for further identifying marks, the screws on the card are still held in place by the original loctite from the factory (and are torqued down so tight it could have only been done by a machine, and likely at the factory). I had taken apart my card to clean it and apply new thermal paste before listing it; therefore, this couldn't possibly be my card. This card was pretty filthy when I got it apart, clearly hadn't been cleaned probably ever, whereas I had cleaned mine thoroughly before listing it for sale.
The list goes on, managed to get it to boot up to the OS and look up the card's ASIC value in GPU-Z (even with it artifacting and randomly glitching out). My card had a 77.9% quality, the card I received had 72.5% quality though. ASIC quality doesn't change over time that I know of, so this is seemingly a real smoking gun.
After all this I call them probably 12-15 times over multiple days, and left voice messages to attempt to explain that they had sent back the wrong card. Only managed to get one of their employees to answer the phone once, who seemed clueless and claimed whoever dealt with the ebay side of their business wasn't in that day and would be in the next day (they weren't there the next day either, or the day following that). This person insists I send an email to their support email, so I sent a few of those. Over a week later, no responses to my PM's, emails, or phone calls with voicemail messages.
It seems this company is scamming sellers on ebay (and possibly elsewhere) by sending back similar(ish) hardware after swapping stickers from one item to another. Probably scamming their customers too, it wouldn't surprise me based upon what I've seen from them thus far. Funnily enough they only cut off all contact after I shipped the item out to them originally, as I had gotten one or two PM's from them before shipping it out.
This seems to be a real fly by night company, their website had multiple links that went to nowhere last time I checked and images that didn't work plus the fact that they almost never answer their phone lines. I suspect they're losing money, and are making it up by scamming providers of the items they buy just to get by. It's also odd that they seem to go by multiple different names, depending upon who you ask or where you look.
Ebay was no help, claimed that if I received any shipment from the buyer I was required to send a refund unless I could get the buyer to admit they still had the item I had sold them (regardless of the fact I had proof that the item I received wasn't the correct one). Then another time said I could dispute the request on the grounds that what I received did not match the original item. This story seemed to change depending upon who I was speaking to and/or what day of the week and time of day I called. Kept getting conflicting information from different CS representatives.
Since they seem intent on not offering to resolve or even discuss the situation, I figure I may as well warn others so as not to have others be victims of this company.
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