Imagine buying a brand new graphics card, only to find a backpack inside the box. This is exactly what happened to over 30 customers of Micro Center in Santa Clara, California. They purchased the high-end RTX 5090 from Zotac, but when they opened the sealed packaging, they found mochilas from GlamAholic instead.
What went wrong?
The initial investigation points to a possible diversion in the supply chain, which might have occurred at Zotac’s facilities in China before the packaging was sealed. This suggests a deliberate attempt to deceive buyers, as the backpacks weigh similarly to the GPU.
A Reddit user, JamesFerg650, first shared his experience of finding a backpack inside his sealed RTX 5090 packaging. This led to the discovery of 31 other similar cases, totaling 32 incidents. The choice of backpacks wasn’t random, as they have a similar weight to the GPU, indicating a deliberate attempt to fake out buyers.
A hefty loss
Each RTX 5090 from Zotac costs around $2,900. With 32 cases reported, the estimated loss exceeds $92,000. Micro Center has replaced the affected units and is working with Zotac to identify those responsible for the diversion. The main suspicion falls on possible internal involvement at the factory, as the packaging seemed to be sealed legitimate.
What consumers can do
While this incident appears isolated to the Santa Clara store, experts recommend that consumers check the contents of their packages at the time of purchase. If possible, recording the unboxing process can be useful in case of disputes or fraud. This precaution can help prevent similar incidents in the future.