Duplicate CD key? WTF!?

[runforyourlife]

I just got my shiny new copy of half-life 2 in the mail which someone purchased for me as a gift, I go and install it, plug the CD key in, and it comes back telling me it's invalid because it's already registered. What the hell man? It was brand new in the friggin box! Anyone else have this problem or know how to fix it?

 

[^Ben]

I would contact valve, they have something that can help you if the box is newer then 90 days (which it will be)

http://steampowered.custhelp.com/cg...HNvcnQ9JnBfcm93X2NudD0yNzcmcF9wYWdlPTE*&p_li=

Someone at the factory could of copied it down or something.

Sometimes O looks like 0 in the case so look at it extremly carefully and other letters and numbers can look the same so make sure you have checked that.