The Bewildering World of Online Shopping: When Play-Doh Replaces High-Tech

A story of fraud involving a Croatian resident named Marino recently gained attention online. 4.5 years ago, he ordered a PNY GeForce RTX 3080 Ti graphics card from a major German online retailer, Notebooksbilliger, for 1300 EUR ($1,412). However, instead of the high-tech device, the box contained… a set of children’s modeling clay.

Marino suspected something was amiss as soon as he received the package-the box was oddly wrapped in nylon. Upon opening the packaging, he discovered two plastic containers of Pelikan modeling material, which mimicked the weight of a graphics card. The buyer suspects he fell victim to a “return fraud” scheme: a previous customer of the store may have taken the graphics card, replaced it with modeling clay, and returned the box to the retailer, who then sent it to the next buyer without proper inspection.

Despite having all the evidence, photographs, and involving a lawyer, the case remains unresolved. For more than four years, Marino has not received a replacement, a refund, or any clear explanations from the seller. Journalists reached out to Notebooksbilliger for comments, but as of January 31, 2026, no response has been received.