Walmart customer receives fake Ryzen 7 9800X3D, retailer refused to refund
A Reddit user reported receiving a counterfeit AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D from Walmart. Despite the box appearing sealed, the chip's serial number did not match the packaging, and the retailer refused a refund.
A Reddit user has reported a scam involving Walmart, claiming they received a counterfeit AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D instead of the genuine processor. Although the retail box appeared to be factory-sealed, the internal component failed to match the packaging's serial number, and the retailer has refused to issue a refund.
The buyer, who already owned a Ryzen 7 9800X3D and sought a replacement due to reported issues with the integrated memory controller on their current unit, purchased the new chip directly from a store display. However, the system failed to boot with the new processor, while the original CPU immediately restored functionality.
Upon returning to Walmart, staff confirmed the mismatch between the chip's serial number and the label on the retail box. Consequently, the retailer refused to issue a refund.
This incident highlights the potential risks of purchasing hardware through retail channels where items might be swapped or tampered with. The primary evidence provided is the discrepancy between the physical component's serial number and the information printed on its packaging.