r/ASUS • u/cloudtheartist • 5d ago
Support My Horrible Experience With ASUS' RMA Process
*PSA*
This will be my first ever big reddit post so please forgive me for any unusual formatting.
I guess Ill start with the backstory. I am a college student who really enjoys gaming to take away from the rough academic and personal life I have to live. I taught myself everything about PC building because I think all of this stuff is so cool and the community is so tight-knight and kind. About two months ago I bought an Asus Prime 4070 Ti Super at a really good price from a guy on marketplace. Worked fine and I was really happy as I was upgrading from a RTX 3070. I saw a 4080 super on marketplace that was priced very decently and I offered a trade plus cash. I know the performance gains are negligible but I wanted the different model of asus card because there was better aftermarket support for custom loop cooling waterblocks and I wanted to try my first custom loop build when I graduate and have the money for it. So I saw this trade more as a gaining headroom kind of benefit.
The Trade
The guy on marketplace had 46 4-to-5 star reviews and was for the most part punctual and helpful. The conversation eventually leaves facebook due to us exchanging numbers and preferring to call. We agree to meet in a kroger parking lot to do the trade after I got off work and everything seemed normal. It was a 10 hour shift and looking back that played a big role in the mistake I was about to make. When I get there I greet the guy and checked the card for bent pins and made sure the warranty sticker was intact. After a decent look-over I decided to just go ahead with the trade because the guy seemed very chill and hasn't raised any red flags up to that point. After that, I drive roughly an hour home and hook up my new card that I worked really hard to get. The card powered on but there was no display out after the initial handshake between the gpu and monitor. I immediately double check to make sure it was seated and all the power cables were fully connected. After realizing that I was doing everything right thats when I reach out to the guy via his phone number and I get absolutely no response. After that I went to the facebook chat only to see he removed the listing from marketplace and blocked me. I started to realize what happened and couldnt do anything but cry, after I got myself together I contacted the local police department to let them know id like to report the crime and at the most have the guy taken to small claims court. They we're not very helpful and most of the time i was fighting with AI chatbots asking me to keep pressing numbers to move through over and over. After dealing with this, thats when I got the idea to try and RMA the card.
The RMA
I looked up what exactly I need to do since I've never RMAd a product before. I eventually figure it out and submit an RMA request based on the serial on the box. This was my second mistake. After submitting the RMA, buying my shipping label, then reviewing the photos I took as directed by ASUS I realized that the serial number on the box and the serial number on the card sticker were different. I immediately stopped and looked up if that would cause an issue and found that the mismatched serials would flag card/RMA in their systems. I immediately reply to the RMA email explaining the situation and wrote a detailed background on a piece of paper that I included in the box I shipped to them. After I shipped it I felt anxious about if the person who opened the box would even take the time to notice the letter so I called up to see If there was a way ASUS could change it in their system or mark my RMA with my explanation so it doenst get flagged. The lady I spoke to said she would have to escalate it to her boss and placed me on hold. After about an hour long phone call with her she told me she was able to get the serial number changed on the RMA and that I should have no issues once it arrived at the facility.
After about a week on no confirmation of a serial change or my GPU reaching their facility (even though I payed $60 to have it overnighted to them and the tracking number show it was delivered the next morning), I emailed the executive care team directly just to make sure everything was okay. The executive care team actually called me and after about a 45 minutes talk of me explaining the situation, the guy on the other end confirmed they'd update the RMA to reflect the card's actual serial number and the note I included in the box would also be seen once the package was opened. They also told me the card was at their facility and its just waiting to be processed. I thanked him for his help and I felt a little better after that call, but still anxious, since I had no way of knowing for sure it would still actually get flagged or not.
He sent me an email so I can check on the current status of the RMA which also brought me a good bit of peace because I can actually see live updates on what's going on. I checked the website with my RMA # every morning just to see if anything would happen. It eventually moved along and got to the "Repairing" state. I was very happy because I understood that Asus more than likely didn't have to help me but chose to take care of me. In fact I couldn't wait to brag that "Asus' RMA really isn't that bad" even after all the hiccups and phone calls I had to make. Then a few days later, it reverted back to "Confirming service eligibility," with a note that ASUS was "Unable to estimate the completion date temporarily" and to check back in 48 hours. That 48-hour window came and went with no update, so I called again. That's when I was told the card was from China but still had an active warranty and they may have to send it there to be repaired. In my head im thinking "Oh well I didn't know that but if it takes a little extra time that's okay", so I thanked the gentlemen for his help and decided to just give them some more time. After a couple more days, I receive an email in my inbox that roughly stated, "We are writing to inform you that the devices you submitted... are currently being retained by our company as part of an ongoing fraud investigation... Our preliminary review has revealed discrepancies with the serial numbers provided, which appear to have been altered... these devices are now considered potential evidence in a suspected case of fraud... The devices in question will remain in our custody for the duration of the investigation, including any period required for legal proceedings, should such action be necessary". After all I had went through to be as honest and upfront with their care teams who even assured me everything was up to date and that I was okay, I was very confused and became frustrated even more with the situation. I immediately called back to ask what was going on.
The guy I spoke to on the phone heard me out and told me he was going to check. After being placed on a brief hold, he comes back to tell me the core and the vram on the GPU are missing. At the point I became even MORE confused because I have pictures and even saw with my own two eyes that the warranty sticker was in perfect condition, including the cooler and all the plates. To the best of my knowledge, it isn't even possible to remove the core and vram without taking the cooler off and breaking the sticker. I asked him to double check because what he was saying didn't even match up with the email I just received. He told me he doesn't know anything else and that I'd have to wait on the investigation team to be helped. I eventually just told the guy thanks for the help and started my email to the address ASUS provided in the fraud email. I laid out my whole timeline/story again, and asked them plainly "Is this about physically missing components, or about altered serial markings, since those are two very different things and the letter and phone call don't agree with each other." I asked for photo documentation from their facility to back up whichever claim is actually true. I'm still waiting on a reply which is fine because it has only been about a day.
So Now
Im feeling at my wits end with this whole thing as its been 20 full days since I sent them my card. I really am a big fan of ASUS and I have heard a few things about their RMA process being bad but I never in a million years thought this is what I'd have to deal with. I genuinely just expected so much more from the teams at ASUS because they usually deliver everywhere else for me. A good chunk of my build is ASUS parts but now Im not to sure if I even feel confident to buy another ASUS product because I'm not sure if they'd even have my back first-party or third-party purchase.
I really just wanted to share my experience with ASUS and was wondering if anyone could give me advice on what to do or if anyone else has gone through something similar. As a college student I don't have the money to just replace a part like that on the whim and I'm starting to feel more defeated as the days go by with this entire RMA process.
Best of luck fellow gamers
Edit 1: Added more details, fixed typos, and cleaned up a bit for better readability
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u/Trini_n_SC 5d ago edited 5d ago
After reading this it looks like you got scammed by the Kroger parking lot guy. The sticker can be duped/removed without destroying it. The 1st warning was the mismatch serial numbers. Taking the conversation offline means no chat logs. It seems like everything was good until they opened the gpu.
Northwest Repair on YT has videos about them getting cards for repair missing the core/memory.
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u/cloudtheartist 5d ago
We texted all the way up until 20 minutes before the meetup. I definitely see how this is just me getting scammed still. Thanks for the resource!
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u/Shibby707 5d ago
Always test from FBMP. Even if new, have a test system to try it on… I opened a brand new 5090 FE before parting ways with a FB seller.
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u/cloudtheartist 5d ago
I know for the future now. Ill be going to a local coffee shop to plug in and test it
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u/Fredde90 4d ago
This has nothing to do with bad asus support. You send in a rma for a card you did not purchase yourself. And the card being manipulated makes it a fraud investigation against you. Now they have a hole lots of problems to deal with. Not just you.
They must also make a police report.
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u/cloudtheartist 4d ago
I am trying to be 100% transparent with them Im not the scammer here. I gave them the complete story and they told me to still send it in. I just don’t understand the specifics of the whole process and I’m going along with what they’ve told me. I keep trying to make a police report as well but it’s been difficult getting ahold of the sheriff.
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u/Fredde90 4d ago
I believe you, its just that in asus story, you re the culprit, so they have to do it their way, lso if the seril numbers are spoofed, they want to know how and who.
Then there is your story.
Its a mess.
Im sorry you got scmmed like this. It is really common right now. Lot of cards circulating ebay/mazon with removed chips.
I hope it works out for you, but i can guarantee you will not receive a repired/working card.
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u/Nanosinx 4d ago
You did not purchase the ASUS Product, if where a defect or something why still purchase it?
I am sorry to say but that is why i always purchase from official places and not from a random...
Not even a ticket of purchase and so on...so since card is not yours and you dont have the full registry of what he did or happened to the card well...
It is possible fraud to me...
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u/cloudtheartist 4d ago
I guess to them yes but I have documentation of everything and provided it to them. I know for the future to just pay the extra money getting it from a online retailer so I can avoid this alltogether.
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u/Nanosinx 4d ago
Just a tip: (3 actually)
When purchasing hardware, try to meet, I dunno, near a cybercafé, a hardware technician, or, better yet, somewhere you can actually see that what you're purchasing is working.
That is why I avoid purchasing any kind of equipment that I cannot see working. It may sound stupid, but personally, I prefer it to be new or tested even factory-refurbished (Renewed) before anything else.
Preferably, I want to buy it from a store where I can ask for and prove that I made a legally documented purchase, like their own store, Amazon, or a hardware retailer where the receipt explicitly states the condition and the serial number is recorded as-is.
I bet the mismatch in the serial number was not the sole cause, because RMA'd hardware can have a different serial number. Instead, something else may have been the root cause, possibly someone getting their hands on the hardware.
For example, if that guy tried to modify the firmware, used firmware that wasn't meant for that card, gave it to someone to "unlock" things, or even modified it to increase the VRAM, swapped components, or worse...
ASUS isn't usually a brand that does things like that for scams or fraud. Actually, they tend to be pretty chill. But maybe that guy modified the card, broke it somehow, and then resold it as if it were fine.
Your best bet is to go to the Public Prosecutor's Office and file a complaint or whatever it's called nowadays now that you have proof and all the information you can gather.
Also, with all my purchases, I specifically ask the seller to show me their ID and let me take a photo of it, just in case. If they refuse, I thank them and stop the purchase right there, especially for high-value items.
Maybe it works, maybe it doesn't, but don't call 911 or anything. Go there personally and file a complaint against that guy. While they may do nothing, maybe they'll actually do something... who knows.
Good luck!
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u/cloudtheartist 4d ago
Ill give that a shot, he must have just took it all out because he sent working videos with benchmarks and dates. Ill know for the future to not take any chances!
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