How to Buy a Bitcoin Miner Safely: Buyer’s Checklist

ASIC miners cost hundreds to thousands of dollars, and scams are common. Use this checklist with any seller, including us.

1. Verify the seller

• Is there a registered business you can look up?
• A real phone number that someone answers?
• An email on the company’s own domain, not a free email address?
• Reviews on Trustpilot, Google or Reddit, from accounts with history?
• Are they honest about where the miners come from? (Manufacturer stock, reseller, or private seller can all be fine, as long as they tell you clearly and can show the stock.)

How 805 answers: 805 Mining Services LLC, Atascadero, California. +1 (951) 598-1515, sales@805mining.com. New miners ship from stock held for 805 in Hong Kong (1–2 weeks) and California (within the week); used miners are USA stock, tested before storage and again before they ship. Reviews: Trustpilot. CA seller’s permit 241-520064. More on our Why 805 page.

2. Watch out for chat-app red flags

Many deals start on WhatsApp or Telegram, and that’s not automatically bad. These are the red flags:

• A price far below every other seller
• Pressure to pay “today”
• Payment to a personal wallet, or payment details that change mid-conversation
• An account that won’t get on a phone call
• A seller who claims to be a known company but won’t use the company’s email or website

Tip: if someone messages you claiming to be a company, contact the company through its official website to confirm.

How 805 answers: Yes, we chat on Telegram and WhatsApp: +1 (951) 598-1515 is our Telegram, WhatsApp and text number (Wyatt, sales manager, or Scott, owner). You pay by crypto through NOWPayments (the payment page shows 805’s name), by card, or by wire (email sales@805mining.com for wire details). Real 805 payment links contain 805mining or 805CryptoServices. If a link doesn’t, or anything looks off, call us before you pay.

3. Pay safely

• Prefer a checkout or invoice from the company’s own website or email.
• Crypto payments can’t be reversed, so verify the seller before you pay.
• Get a written order confirmation with the model, hashrate, quantity, price and shipping terms.

How 805 answers: We accept 300+ cryptocurrencies with no fee from us (through NOWPayments, whose payment page shows our name), plus credit card and wire transfer (email sales@805mining.com for wire details). Every real payment link includes “805mining” or “805CryptoServices”. After you order, you get a confirmation email with your invoice details, then a payment confirmation, then tracking as soon as it’s available.

4. Understand shipping, DDP and customs

• DDP (Delivered Duty Paid) means the seller pays import duties and customs, so nothing is due at delivery.
• Without DDP, you may owe duties, tariffs and brokerage fees, which can be large on miners.
• Ask: is shipping insured? Who’s responsible if it arrives damaged?
• Ask for the expected delivery window, and for tracking.

How 805 answers: We offer DDP shipping case by case, and its cost is included in our shipping cost. If DDP doesn’t cover your country, we contact you before you pay. Hong Kong stock usually arrives in 1–2 weeks; USA stock arrives within the week. Tracking is sent as soon as it’s available, usually within 24–48 hours (faster for USA orders).

5. Read the warranty and DOA policy before you buy

• How long is the warranty, and who honors it: the manufacturer or the seller?
• Who pays shipping to the repair center, and where is it?
• What’s the DOA (dead on arrival) window, and what proof is needed?
• For used miners: any warranty at all? Were they tested?
• Does custom firmware affect the warranty?

How 805 answers: New miners are covered by the manufacturer’s warranty only; we don’t add our own unless the listing says so. All sales are final. DOA cover applies only to used units sold by 805: most come with a 7-day DOA, stated on the listing, starting the day the unit arrives at its destination (per the shipping tracking). Depending on the damage and the machine, we may send replacement parts, replace the machine, or refund you after the unit is returned to us. Any other unit has no 805 DOA, only the manufacturer’s warranty. For repairs, we may be able to help send parts to the manufacturer, but we can’t guarantee it, and we usually recommend a third-party repair shop for lower scrap rates and faster turnaround. Custom firmware and warranty: the manufacturer’s warranty may not cover units running third-party firmware, so check its rules before you flash.

6. Test on arrival

When your miner arrives:

1. Film the unboxing, including the shipping label and any box damage.
2. Inspect for loose fans, bent pins, rattling or damaged ports.
3. Check the serial number matches the box and paperwork.
4. Power it on using the correct voltage and circuit. Full-size miners usually need 240V.
5. Log in to the web interface and check that all hashboards show up.
6. Point it at your pool and let it run for a few hours. Confirm the hashrate is close to spec.
7. Save the logs and screenshots. If something’s wrong, contact the seller right away, within the DOA window.

How 805 answers: If anything’s wrong, contact us at sales@805mining.com within the DOA window stated on the listing with photos, video and logs. For used units sold by 805, that’s 7 days from the day it arrives, per the tracking.

7. Consider delivery straight to hosting

If you don’t have cheap power, a 240V circuit, or a place for a loud machine, you can skip home delivery entirely. Some sellers ship straight to a hosting site, where it’s racked, tested and put online.

How 805 answers: We offer air-cooled hosting at partner sites in Iowa and Idaho, metered at 7.75¢/kWh (7.5¢ for 20 or more machines), with a $50 setup fee per machine bought from us and machine discounts for hosted clients. Payouts go straight to your own wallet, and if a hosted miner has a problem, we’ll attempt an onsite repair first. See Hosting.

Quick checklist

• Seller is a registered business with a real phone number and company email
• Reviews from real accounts
• Payment through the company’s checkout or official invoice
• Written order confirmation
• DDP or a clear customs cost estimate
• Shipping insurance and damage policy
• Warranty and DOA terms in writing
• Unboxing video and arrival test
• Or: ship straight to hosting

Questions before you buy? Ask us, even if you end up buying somewhere else.

sales@805mining.com · +1 (951) 598-1515 (Telegram or WhatsApp: Wyatt, sales manager, or Scott, owner)