Dude, where's my GPU? — Microcenter customer gets backpack-stuffed box instead of RTX 5090

Redditor JamesFerg650 recently bought a Zotac Gaming GeForce RTX 5090 Solid OC from a Micro Center store in Santa Clara. However, the unfortunate buyer received several backpacks within a box in lieu of a GeForce RTX 5090, recognized as one of the best graphics cards on the market. The incident prompted Micro Center to initiate a swift investigation, during which the U.S. retailer allegedly uncovered 31 additional tampered boxes.

Micro Center reportedly provided user JawaOfficial with the following statement in the Reddit thread:

"Our team is aware of these reports and are actively investigating the legitimacy of the issue. At this time, we are still working internally with our Santa Clara team to confirm details they have on their end. We sadly do not have any details to confirm if this is indeed true, however we are working as quickly as possible with the Santa Clara team on this. While they are aware of these reports, our team in-store will do everything they can in their typical process to check these items before they are purchased. Our best recommendation from here is speaking with the Santa Clara team in-store if you plan on visiting, for any more information they may have at that time."

The GeForce RTX 5090 is highly sought after, making it a ripe target for crime. This Blackwell flagship gaming graphics card has an MSRP of $1,999, but securing one at that price is rare. Custom models of the GeForce RTX 5090 begin at approximately $2,600, which further enhances its appeal to criminals.

Hardware swapping scams are increasingly common online. Customers frequently buy processors or graphics cards from online retailers but sometimes receive counterfeit products or items they didn't order. People involved in criminal acts would swap legitimate hardware for fake products and then return them to the store, or occasionally, employees would do the same at the warehouse. However, the JamesFerg650's stands out as particularly unusual.

JamesFerg650 received a factory-sealed box, indicating it has remained untampered since leaving the factory. Micro Center's investigation seemingly traces boxes to the supplier, implying it was an inside job. What is more concerning is that the perpetrators are positioned high in the supply chain. It also raises concerns about the security measures in place at the factory, as an employee was able to steal 32 GeForce RTX 5090 graphics cards without being detected.

JamesFerg650 has received a new GeForce RTX 5090 from Micro Center, with the retailer ensuring that a genuine GeForce RTX 5090 is inside the box. However, this situation hasn't reached a happy ending yet. All 32 affected boxes were identified as Zotac graphics cards, so the vendor is involved in the investigation. The Zotac Gaming GeForce RTX 5090 Solid OC retails for $2,899.99, so the criminal (or criminals) nabbed close to $100,000 worth of graphics cards.

Micro Center found these boxes at the Santa Clara store, indicating this could be an isolated incident, but it's too early to confirm. If you're purchasing a GeForce RTX 5090 in-store, it's wise to verify your purchase before leaving. If you ordered the graphics card online, consider documenting the unboxing for evidence in case any issues arise. While the problem appears to be limited to Micro Center right now, it's uncertain whether any of these boxes have reached other retailers.

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