r/hardwareswap • u/Afteraffekt • 9d ago

OFFICIAL Official - We're considering retiring Buying posts, and we want your input

211 Upvotes

Over the past few months, we've seen a significant rise in scams targeting Buying posts. Accounts respond to [W] posts with bogus offers, push for irreversible payment methods, provide fake timestamps, and simply never ship. At best, you get your money back after weeks of disputes. At worst, it's gone for good. It has reached the point where more trades originating from Buying posts are fraudulent than legitimate.

Because of this, the mod team is seriously considering removing Buying posts. No decision has been made yet. This affects everyone who trades here, so we want to hear from you before anything changes.

Problem with Buying Posts

1. Everything happens out of public view.

A seller replying to a Buying post never makes a public listing. Any timestamps they provide are sent privately, where no one else can check them, so fake, stolen, or recycled photos are easy to pass off. The community can't spot red flags, warn the buyer, down-vote, or report. If something goes wrong, moderators are left with screenshots of private messages, which makes scams harder to investigate, harder to tie to alt accounts, and slower to act on.

2. Buying posts give scammers a target list.

A [W] post tells everyone exactly what someone wants and that they're ready to pay. Scammers can contact the buyer directly, offer a price just low enough to be tempting, and push urgency ("someone else is interested"). The buyer is exposed publicly, and the seller is not.

3. They bypass our account requirements.

New, low-karma, or compromised accounts that couldn't meet our posting requirements can still reply to Buying posts or DM the buyer. That makes Buying posts the easiest entry point for throwaway and purchased accounts.

The case against removing them

We want to be upfront that removal isn't a perfect fix, and there are good arguments on the other side:

1. Scammers will adapt.

We know that removing Buying posts only close one route. Scammers would likely shift to watching Selling posts and messaging the people who comment on them: "I noticed you're interested in the XYZ. I have a similar model for sale for a bit less." This already happens, and it could become more common.

This would require vigilance from our buyers that they only deal with sellers that have made a proper Selling post.

2. Hard-to-find parts get harder to find.

For older, niche, or rarely listed hardware, a Buying post often feels the only way to reach someone who has the part sitting in a drawer but would never have thought to list it.

3. Legitimate traders lose a useful tool.

Many honest users have completed good trades through Buying posts. Removing them affects those users as much as it affects scammers.

We know removing Buying posts would make tracking down specific or hard-to-find parts harder, and we won't make this decision lightly.

  • Looking for something? You'd search the subreddit or HWSMarket.com, since most items get listed regularly. If you can't find it, other marketplaces like eBay, Swappa, OfferUp, Mercari, or Vinted are options.
  • Sell by answering Buying posts? You'd make a normal Selling post with timestamps instead.
  • Unsolicited offers to sell you something without a public listing would be treated as scams and should be reported.
  • Scammers use compromised Reddit and Paypal accounts and are willing to use Paypal Invoice and G&S because the PayPal info is stolen so it's important to review the invoice and ensure proper comments for what you are buying is mentioned on the PayPal transaction.

We don't take this lightly, and want your feedback!

Tell us what you think in the comments, or in the Discord channel #buying-feedback.

Some questions we'd especially like answered:

  • Have you been scammed, or approached by a likely scammer, through a Buying post?
  • Would removing Buying posts affect how you use the community?
  • Is there a middle ground you'd prefer, such as keeping Buying posts but requiring all offers to be made publicly in the comments?

We'll collect feedback until 10/15/2026 and then share our decision along with what we heard from you.

How to buy safely

Whatever happens, these apply now:

  • Only buy from a public Selling post. Comment on the listing before sending a PM, and keep the conversation tied to that post. Scammers watch Selling posts and DM the people who comment, offering a "similar model for a bit less." If someone contacts you about an item you never saw them list, it's almost certainly a scam. Only trade with the person whose listing you commented on.
  • Always use PayPal Goods & Services. Even better, ask the seller to send an official PayPal invoice listing the items sold, their condition, and everything included.
  • Never pay without proper timestamps. If a deal seems too good to be true, it usually is.
  • Watch for payment account switches. A seller should only ever use their own PayPal account. If the seller's PayPal "isn't working" and they ask you to pay a different account or person, stop the trade and contact the moderators. This is a common scam.
  • Ask for help when unsure. Reach out to the community on our Discord, send a modmail, or open a Discord ticket with the moderation team.

How to sell safely

  • Only deal with buyers who have commented on your Selling post. If a buyer refuses to comment on your thread, report them to the moderators. This often means the account is banned.
  • Only ship to the address on the paid PayPal transaction. If the buyer needs a different address, refund the payment and have them pay again with the correct one.
  • Take thorough timestamps. They don't just prove you have the item, they document its condition. Clear photos are your best defense against "item not as described" return scams.
  • Consider recording your packing. A short video of the item going into the box and being sealed can help settle "empty box" or "wrong item" claims.
231 comments

r/hardwareswap • u/hwsbot • 16d ago

OFFICIAL October Confirmed Trade Thread

11 Upvotes

Post your confirmed trades below. Please post in the most recent monthly thread. When confirming a post put Confirmed only nothing else it makes the bot unhappy :(

All top level comments must contain the following information:

  • Transaction summary of items bought, sold, or traded
  • Mention the users involved in the transaction (must be in /u/ format)
  • A link to the post where the transaction originated on HardwareSwap (must be a full reddit url and not a shortener/share link). Please see the examples below. Anything that looks like https://reddit.com/r/hardwareswap/s/XXxxXXxxXX is a share link and not valid.

Examples:

  • Bought Asus RTX 4090 from /u/DidItForButter on https://www.reddit.com/r/hardwareswap/comments/xx12345/posttitle
  • Sold Xbox Series X +Games to /u/psikeiro on https://www.reddit.com/r/hardwareswap/comments/xx98765/othertitle
  • Traded RTX3080 + $200 for RTX3090 with /u/konstdfgh on https://www.reddit.com/r/hardwareswap/comments/xx98712/anothertitle

If more proof is requested by the bot please send a modmail including the following:

  • Screenshot of PM's between the users
  • Screenshot of Tracking (may also include link)
  • Screenshot of PayPal transaction
  • Permalink to trade confirmed thread comment

Local trades are not eligible for confirmed trade flair

2.1k comments

r/hardwareswap • u/SaintQuica • 10h ago

CLOSED [USA-NY] [H] RTX 4080 Ventus 3X OC [W] PayPal/Casg

12 Upvotes

https://imgur.com/a/AYeM76z

As title states down sizing, no issues has been in my personal rig for a bit nice and compact card any questions just ask only shipping to people with confirmed trades

Local 11772

$730 Cash or $770 SHIPPED

SOLD SOLD SOLD went to first PM I received sorry to anyone else who was interested

Thank you!

8 comments

r/hardwareswap • u/Avian_Aces • 8h ago

TRADING [USA-CA] [H] iPhone 18 Pro Max 256GB Factory Unlocked Burgundy Excellent Condition with Box & Accessories [W] Global or Factory Unlocked Android Phone / White X870E Motherboard & DDR5 White Ram 2 x 32GB / iPhone 15 to 17 Pro Max Factory Unlocked 256GB / High End Android 5G Tablet / 5080 GPU

6 Upvotes

Trading! I like to make trades. Location is Orange County, CA

Here is what I have! Value $1,300

  1. iPhone 18 Pro Max, Burgundy, Excellent Condition, Factory Unlocked "No Sim Restrictions" Battery Cycle Count 6 "Could Go Up", Box, Unused USB C Cable, Torras Case & Screen Protector. Phone was purchased on release date and barely used. iPhone has the G9N Samsung Panel which is rated as the best possible of the 4 Variants that Apple uses for these devices if you're into that type of thing! Timestamps Here - https://imgur.com/a/18-pro-max-burgundy-unlcoked-6-battery-cycle-k0eejOV

Here is what I am interested in! Cash on my end or yours depending on value!

  1. Global or Factory Unlocked Android Phone like the OPPO Find X9 Ultra 1TB, VIVO X300 Ultra 1TB, POCO F9 Ultra 1TB, Google Pixel 11 Pro XL 1TB, OnePlus 15 512GB with 16GB Ram
  2. ASUS ROG Glacial X870E Motherboard, Asrock Taichi X870E White, Gigabyte Aorus Master ICE X870E
  3. White DDR5 Ram 2 x 32GB or 2 x 48GB 6000MHz to 6800MHz G.Skill, Corsiar, and TeamGroup
  4. Factory Unlocked "No Sim Restriction" iPhone 15 to 17 Pro Max 256GB "Battery Health will play a factor especially if it's has had any repairs"
  5. High End 5G Unlocked Android Tablet such as Samsung, Lenovo, and OPPO
  6. 5080 GPU from Asus, Gigabyte, MSI

Thanks!

15 comments

r/hardwareswap • u/send_runes • 3h ago

BUYING [USA-CA] [H] Paypal [W] Xbox Ally X

2 Upvotes

Looking for a very good condition Ally X. PM me!

1 comment

r/hardwareswap • u/Wild-Claim-100 • 3h ago

BUYING [USA-FL] [H] PayPal, Local Cash, Trades [W] Ryzen AI 9 2 in 1 Laptop, HP OmniBook X, Lenovo Yoga 7a, etc

2 Upvotes

Local to North FL.
Looking for a better deal than BestBuy open box

Necessary:

2 in 1 convertible

Ryzen AI 9 465 or better CPU. Likely not interested in intel due to battery life & iGPU performance.

32GB DDR5

No dedicated GPU

Preferred:

1 TB SSD

16"

OLED

Paying cash or I can trade for other PC parts/Switch 2s. Not all of my items are posted so feel free to ask.

2 comments

r/hardwareswap • u/ferbzao • 5h ago

BUYING [USA-RI] [H] PayPal [W] Elgato 4K S Capture Card

3 Upvotes

You know how it works, comment before pming. Looking for brand new/open box/used in good condition Elgato 4K S.

1 comment

r/hardwareswap • u/ideology_reject • 6h ago

SELLING [USA-CA] [H] Zotac RTX 2080 SUPER 8GB GRAPHICS CARD -24GB LAPTOP RAM [8GB + 16GB] DRR4- Viper Steel DDR4 16GB (2 x 8GB) 3400MHz Kit [W] PAYPAL LOCAL CASH

3 Upvotes

Zotac RTX 2080 Super 8GB GDDR6 Graphics Card - Great Condition GPU • Perfect 1080p/1440p Gaming Graphics Card - SOLD

24GB (16GB + 8GB) Laptop RAM DDR4 SODIMM Kit • OEM Pull from Dell Latitude 7400 • SK Hynix & Samsung - $80

Viper Steel DDR4 16GB
(2 x 8GB) 3400MHz Kit
SPECIFICATIONS:
• Capacity: 16GB (2 x 8GB)
• Base Frequency: PC4-17000 (2133MHz)
• Base Timings: 15-15-15-36
• Tested Frequency Profile 1: PC4-27200 (3400MHz)
• Tested Timings: 16-18-18-36
• Tested Voltage for Profile 1: 1.35V
• Format: NON-ECC Unbuffered DIMM
• Pin Out: 288f
• $75

Photos here https://imgur.com/a/SddG0q5

Willing to let everything go for $300 O.B.O. Location south Orange County PayPal local cash

6 comments

r/hardwareswap • u/ShaboopaIaboopy • 4h ago

BUYING [USA-CA][H] PayPal [W] OnexPlayer 3 32GB/1TB

2 Upvotes

Please comment before DMing, thank you.

1 comment

r/hardwareswap • u/rudidit09 • 40m ago

SELLING [USA-CA] [H] Ironwolf Seagate HDD 6Tb x2, 4Tb x2 [W] PayPal

• Upvotes

https://imgur.com/a/ZjPa2zq

Two 6Tb and two 4Tb Ironwolf Seagate HDDs from Synology (upgrading to higher capacity).

All passed extended SMART test with zero issues.

6Tb drives have 31,138h of use, and 4Tb have 20,807h and 17,476h.

$200 or best offer with free shipping.

4 comments

r/hardwareswap • u/redstockc7 • 8h ago

SELLING [USA-CA] [H] Rtx 2080 ti, GTX 1080 ti, lots of ddr4 ram [W] PayPal

4 Upvotes

Hi, selling the following all pulled from working machines, free shipping orders $50 and up, payment through PayPal G&S thanks!

Blower Rtx 2080 ti $250 SOLD
EVGA GTX 1080 ti ftw3 $150
4x Kingston 2933 8GB ddr4 $30 each SOLD
8x8gb 2400 dominator platinum ddr4 $30 each SOLD
1x rip jaw 3200 8GB ddr4 $30 SOLD
1x patriot 3000 8GB ddr4 $30 SOLD
1x corsair 2400 8GB ddr4 $25 SOLD

Timestamp: https://imgur.com/a/1UOnYZO

5 comments

r/hardwareswap • u/DusteMonkee • 10h ago

SELLING [USA-AZ][H] Nintendo Switch OLED Version w/ docks/joy cons/controllers, Powkiddy RGB30 Retro Handheld, nMediaPC 2800B HTPC Case [W] Local Cash, Paypal

5 Upvotes

Nintendo Switch OLED Version

Barely Used - works perfectly

**Includes:**

- 2 docks (One from my old switch and one from this one)

- 3 pairs of Joy Cons (GameCube style pair works, not entirely sure about the others)

- 3 controllers (2 wireless and 1 wired, I know at least one wireless and the wired works fine)

- 2 sets of joy-con handle sets.

- 2 sets of "nun-chucks"

- The original power Cable

**The switch will be reset and the micro SD card will be removed before shipping.**

**Asking $220 Local, $240 Shipped OBO**

- - - - -

Powkiddy RGB30

Used - Works great

- Includes SD card with the JelOS, but no secondary card

**Asking $40 Local, $50 Shipped OBO**

- - - - -

nMediaPC 2800B HTPC Case

Used - Great Condition

- Includes everything in the timestamp photos

**Asking $60 Local, $75 Shipped OBO**

- - - - -

Local to Phoenix, AZ

All serious offers are welcome and considered

Please comment before PM, thanks!

3 comments

r/hardwareswap • u/bladexngt • 4h ago

BUYING [USA-VA] [H] PayPal [W] DDR5 32gb 6000 RAM

2 Upvotes

Less than 350, black ideally. Post here first before messaging me.

4 comments

r/hardwareswap • u/ParticularCredit2023 • 10h ago

CLOSED [USA-LA] [H] White 32GB Corsair Dominator Titanium Ram 6400mhz cl32 w/Light enhancement Kit [W] Paypal

6 Upvotes

Mint condition. Was part of a 64gig Kit I purchased only 32gb of it. Moving to a black build. Comes with box for both kits.

Asking 350 shipped PayPal goods and services only

Timestamp: https://imgur.com/a/kx5Alo9

Please comment before chat

7 comments

r/hardwareswap • u/albocaj • 12h ago

SELLING [USA-UT][H] Thinkpad P1 Gen 7 RTX 4070 Ultra 9 64GB LPCAMM2 2TB, Zenbook Pro Duo OLED i9 32GB 4060 1TB, ROG XG Mobile RTX 4090, RedMagic 11 Pro 16GG 512GB [W] PayPal, trades, local trans

8 Upvotes

Thinkpad price: 2008 -shipped-

Like-new machine, with upgraded 64GB of LPCAMM2 RAM valued at almost $1,000 itself alone. It was not used for more than casual work and games. Includes Lenovo wireless mouse. This is the 3.8K 60Hz display model for great battery life. Comes with original charger.

Zenbook Pro price: 1091 -shipped-

Main display is a 2.8K OLED touch display, and secondary a 12.7" (2880 x 864) IPS ScreenPad. RTX 4060 GPU, Intel i9 13th Gen & 32GB of RAM. The ScreenPad Plus is just amazing. Comes with Asus Pen 2.0. My favorite laptop for all purposes and use cases. Has even a MUX Switch. 2x Thunderbolt 4, 1x USB Type-A 3.2 Gen 2, 1x HDMI 2.1, Audio jack, MicroSD card reader.

Plays AAA gaming at native res medium and 1080 high (with GHelper) w/out frame gen, tho I hardly did. Productivity, gaming, design, watching content, drawing & sketching, editing content. The list goes on. Comes with a new carbon black skin unapplied. The charger is a bit bitten by my sister's puppy, but it's not torn or broken just looks like in the photo. SOLD

XG Mobile price: 1230 -shipped-

Condition is mint. No box. Can run local llm models cause of the Nvidia dedicated CURA and tensor cores cause being in the ecosystem. The 4090 vram has a large buffer, so even on an Ally it wouldn't rely on the 16gb, plus the bandwidth isn't like the USB4/TB bit it's PCIe so you're not restricted. I guess the same applies for gaming, of course.

It's TDP is 150W in 16GB GDDR6 of VRAM! It can do DLSS 4.5, and just as important the full I/O has:
-2.5Gb RJ-45
-HDMI 2.1
-DP 1.4 w/G-SYNC
-3 x USB 3.2 Gen2
-USB-C 3.2 Gen2
-SD card reader

Redmagic 11 Pro price: 750 -shipped-

Like-new, used for a few days only. Comes with original box, charging cable, 80W power adapter, and 3 cases valued at over $120. One aramid carbon fiber brand new, and two cooling heat dissipating cases, both reinforced with heat absorbing shielding and copper.

Timestamps

lZenBook Pro last week's

Please comment PM before messaging

4 comments

r/hardwareswap • u/emboy454 • 1h ago

BUYING Title: [USA-AK] [H] PayPal [W] 2x RTX 3090

• Upvotes

Looking for two fully working desktop RTX 3090 graphics cards shipped to Anchorage, Alaska 99501. Any manufacturer is fine. Two matching air-cooled cards would be ideal, but different models and separate sellers are welcome. I’ll consider RTX 3090 Ti offers too.

I can pay on October 20. Both cards need to arrive by October 26. Please include the exact model, condition, your total price shipped to 99501, and the shipping method in your offer.

No defects, mining use, manual overclocking, repairs, or modifications. Factory-overclocked models are fine. Please provide current handwritten timestamps of the actual card and a short video showing it running with GPU-Z.

Please comment before messaging. Payment by PayPal Goods & Services invoice only, with insured, tracked shipping to the address on the paid invoice.

1 comment

r/hardwareswap • u/Mysterious_Pie_6809 • 12h ago

SELLING [USA-MD] [H] Nzxt PC w Founders 3080/5950X/ROG Strix X570-E Gaming/64gbs ram 8gb EVGA FTW [W] Local cash

7 Upvotes

https://imgur.com/a/eZeXok6

My zip is 21030

looking to sell a prebuilt as one piece.

CPU: AMD Ryzen 5950X

GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Founders Edition 

RAM: 64GB G.Skill Trident Z RGB DDR4 (4x16GB) 

Motherboard: ASUS ROG Strix X570-E Gaming 

CPU Cooler NZXT Kraken

no drives included

$800

Looking to sell

EVGA 3080 FTW 10 gb for $360.

Local cash

Hell if you buy both ill throw in my old Aoc curved 32 ultra wide monitor for $1 dollar (free)

4 comments

r/hardwareswap • u/WW-Heisenbird • 2h ago

SELLING [USA-AZ] [H] Sapphire Pulse 9060 XT 16GB [W] Paypal

0 Upvotes

Condition: Brand new, sealed. Box has some wear on the corners, please see the timestamp for pictures of the seal and corners.

Price - $480 Shipped

Please comment first, then PM. Happy to answer any questions.

Timestamp/Pics

3 comments

r/hardwareswap • u/TheTrueGoatgoat • 6h ago

SELLING [USA-CA] [H] MSI Claw 8 AI+, 32 gb ram, 1tb SSD [W] Paypal, Local Cash

2 Upvotes

Looking to sell this msi claw 8 ai+ ! Seeking $750 shipped. Comes with box and charger and everything. Ships from the bay area.

Pics with timestamp:

https://imgur.com/a/VmrAjN2

3 comments

r/hardwareswap • u/TheSnowmanFrosty • 11h ago

BUYING [USA-MD] [H] PayPal [W] 4TB SATA SSD, 18TB+ HDD Enterprise, DDR4 RAMM, Omada Switch

4 Upvotes

I won’t respond to users who don’t comment on this post first.

Baltimore Area.

HDD Storage
WD/HGST Ultrastar
Seagate Exos

DDR4 DRAMM
SPECIFICALLY, 64GB (32x2) CL18-22-22-42

SWITCHES
TP-Link Omada SG3428XPP-M2
TP-Link Omada SG3218XP-M2

4 comments

r/hardwareswap • u/PollShark_ • 2h ago

SELLING [USA-TX] [H] iphone 16 pro max 256gb, great condition, unlocked [W] paypal/local cash

1 Upvotes

https://imgur.com/a/vhaWETS

Repairs: None
Its Unlocked

Selling my iphone 16 pro max 256gb, has 89% battery health. Will come with a clear case which was bought 2 weeks ago and ill keep the screen protector on for shipping. Doesnt come with the original box or accessories. (Just the phone)

Looking for $675 plus shipping, or $675 local. Im open to offers as well

If you happen to own an iphone 15 pro i can tell you it lasts about 50% longer, kind of nuts, and it doesnt get hot either

2 comments

r/hardwareswap • u/Badboy956 • 3h ago

BUYING [USA-TX] [H] Paypal/Cash [W] Looking for a 3060ti-3080

1 Upvotes

Not trying to spend too much since it will be for a 2nd pc. Prefer local to San Antonio,Tx but can also do paypal.

1 comment

r/hardwareswap • u/coldestbreathing • 3h ago

SELLING [USA-NY][H] ASUS ROG Strix XG27AQWMG 27" 1440p 280Hz Tandem OLED Monitor [W] PayPal G&S

1 Upvotes

ASUS ROG Strix XG27AQWMG 27" 1440p (QHD) Gaming Monitor

Specifications:

  • 27" QHD (2560×1440) OLED Display
  • TrueBlack Glossy Tandem OLED Panel
  • 280Hz Refresh Rate
  • 0.03ms Response Time
  • DisplayHDR True Black 500
  • 99% DCI-P3 Color Gamut
  • Neo Proximity Sensor

Price:

  • $550 shipped via PayPal Goods & Services (Open to Offers)

Condition:

  • Excellent working condition.
  • No dead pixels or burn-in.
  • Includes original accessories and packaging.

Timestamps:

Any questions please ask, Thank you for looking!

1 comment

r/hardwareswap • u/Emergency-Cable-1282 • 3h ago

SELLING [USA-CA] [H] Radeon RX 6300 2GB Low Profile GPU [W] PayPal

0 Upvotes

Radeon RX 6300 2GB Low Profile GPU - $55 shipped each

  • I have two available

Timestamp: https://imgur.com/a/B0SSzjo

1 comment

r/hardwareswap • u/psnipes773 • 12h ago

SELLING [USA-MD][H] Sapphire RX 580 Nitro+ Special Edition [W] PayPal

5 Upvotes

I have this RX 580 Nitro+ Special Edition that's in pretty good shape, aside from a bit of dust from normal usage. I bought this from someone at my workplace who said it wasn't working, but I tried all the outputs, both BIOS settings, and fired up games for a couple hours and from everything I can see, it's perfectly fine and stable.

Looking to sell for $55 shipped in the US.

Images: https://imgur.com/a/dWdsu3J

2 comments