After graphics cards, thieves are turning their attention to RAM. Rising prices and looming shortages are making this key computer component a favorite target for theft, as if it were the new gold.
A user on the American forum Reddit, with the nickname AvidThinkpadEnjoyer, reported the theft of a brand new Crucial 32GB DDR5-4800 SO-DIMM RAM memory module. Instead of the module he ordered, he received an empty package. According to the tracking data, the package was "delivered" at 4:15 a.m. ... with a forged signature.
Forum users note that small and expensive computer components often disappear during delivery. Sometimes they are replaced with cheaper items or marked as delivered before the recipient has even checked the package.
Until recently, RAM memory was not considered an expensive component, but in recent weeks its price has skyrocketed and it is now considered a "risky component."
The increase in such incidents has sparked a debate about who is responsible for the thefts. In the UK, for example, the seller is legally responsible for the shipment until it is actually delivered to the buyer.
In the US, there has been an increase in complaints related to deliveries. Fraudulent buyers are often required to provide a police report number before the store will proceed with a refund. Many complain that they are sent back and forth between the store, the courier, and the police, with each party trying to shift responsibility.