just baught an ipad from walmart, all sealed up so why get them to cut it open? 30 minutes later im at home opening it to find a zip lock baggy full of clay alogn with a block of clay where the charger should be!! immediatly went back and after many questiongs on who sold it this n that we finally got the refund...so before you buy ne thing including ipadsget them to open the box first, what a joke!!
Open package before buying!!!!!
- Thread starter dbaux
- Start date
When I buy gadgets, I check at the store to make sure that all the items (including accessories and manuals) are in the box, and that they're in good condition.
What the OP mentioned is a scam that's run on a lot of retail stores, which has led to them telling clerks to check serial numbers on hardware, etc., when returns and exchanges are made. They don't do it with unopened merchandise, though. And scammers know that they just need to get the weight right and re-shrink wrap an item to get it past a clerk. Sometimes they're inside jobs, too. In other cases, scammers will sub an old item for a new one.
There also have been reports of subbing scams done on merchandise that's delivered via UPS, FedEx, etc., with bricks or whatever being used by scammers to create fake weight for merchandise that's been stolen.
What the OP mentioned is a scam that's run on a lot of retail stores, which has led to them telling clerks to check serial numbers on hardware, etc., when returns and exchanges are made. They don't do it with unopened merchandise, though. And scammers know that they just need to get the weight right and re-shrink wrap an item to get it past a clerk. Sometimes they're inside jobs, too. In other cases, scammers will sub an old item for a new one.
There also have been reports of subbing scams done on merchandise that's delivered via UPS, FedEx, etc., with bricks or whatever being used by scammers to create fake weight for merchandise that's been stolen.
Thanks dbaux and KayKayKay-for bringing this to light. I had no idea that was happening. When I returned my android tablet-the clerk did a "scan" to see if the tablet was in there, but really just glanced at all the other things. Didn't really do a thorough check. I can see how this could happen.
MelvinTopaz
iPF Noob
At least by choosing Walmart and pick the right company to buy from.
...I think that it could happen anywhere...Walmart was just the unfortunate example for the unfortunate OP. Any store could have workers that are scamming behind the scenes, are too in a hurry to check returned merchandise or have dishonest customers. I certainly wouldn't want to only narrow down Walmart, since this may be activity that is observed elsewhere.
Future Shop, Best Buy, London Drugs and Walmart were all hit by this scam. The fraudsters had paid cash for the ipads and swapped the ipad and ac charger for clay. The fraudsters then placed want ads for market research jobs and they hired people to return these "ipads" back to the respective merchants to get the cash back under the guise of secret shoppers.
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It was a scam and you unfortunately you ended up in the middle. The simple solution is control of property. If a product is sold then returned and is sealed it is difficult for any retailer to know that it was opened. I suspect after this very sophisticated scam that retailers wil be forced to change the way the handle returns and may have to use scanners to confirm the product is in fact in there.
Personally think this may be an inside job since I have dealt with BestBuy and FutureShop and they usually check the contents of the box to make sure all the parts are there for low end items. Why they did not do it for a $500+ item especially since the refund was in cash (original method of payment) is unbelievable.
If an item is returned unopened, they don't open it to check. All scammers had to do was reshrink wrap the boxes. Of course, the stores will have to rethink taking back items even shrink wrapped. They could open and rewrap themselves.
PRINCE_IAMA_LADKILLA_ESQ
iPF Noob
yes, this happened in the manufacturing or supply chain portion of it's journey. probably manufacturing. that's probably 2-4 weeks supplemental pay for a factory worker in a so-called "3rd world" country. I would imagine there are a lot of these about. the clay probably made the same weight as the iPad+charger (necessary for shipping, especially if they were air cargo at some point and possibly even to leave the factory). did you make note of the country it was manufacrured in? somehow...I don't know...call it a hunch...I don't think it was made in the USA. color me crazy!! I know, I know...did you keep a sample of the clay for analysis? add CSI to the end of my username MuuuAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAHHHH!!!!!!!! can I borrow aa pencil? this clay-colored iPad isn't typing for some reason. it has an "earthy" aroma to it as well...what is that? a dung beatle!? ...
This latest bunch of cases happened in Canadian stores and involved a bunch of purchases made with cash and unsuspecting people asked to make returns. Your hunch is bad.
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