Thermal Grizzly CEO Roman “Der8auer” Hartung says his company recently fell victim to large-scale materials fraud while trying to source copper and aluminum for its cooling products, according to PC Gamer.

The company needs several tons of metal to machine components such as GPU water blocks. With copper prices rising and European supplies expensive, Hartung turned to suppliers in China’s metal market. After reviewing documentation and conducting supplier checks, Thermal Grizzly placed two orders—one for copper and another for aluminum and copper.

The orders cost about €40,000. While some value can be recovered as scrap metal, the company still faces a significant loss. Legal options are limited because the suppliers are based in China.

https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/china-based-copper-scam-leaves-cooling-firm-fake-metal