Fake iPad 2s Hit More Major Retailers

H

HardOCP News

[H] News
Joined
Dec 31, 1969
Messages
0
Heh, even Apple crooks are all fancy-schmancy using modeling clay in bags? What ever happened to the brick in the VCR box trick? ;)

In most of the cases, the popular tablet computers are bought for cash and then swapped out for a piece of modelling clay. The boxes are then re-wrapped and returned to the store, only to end up back on the shelves and resold to other unsuspecting customers.
Click to expand...
 
The boxes are then re-wrapped and returned to the store, only to end up back on the shelves and resold to other unsuspecting customers.
Click to expand...
I'd hate to be that first customer, good luck try to get your money back and explain what happened there! Only when it occurred a few more times was their any proof involved.
 
wonder could it is workers at the factories swapping some out for clay?
 
sfsuphysics said:
I'd hate to be that first customer, good luck try to get your money back and explain what happened there! Only when it occurred a few more times was their any proof involved.
Click to expand...

Totally.

And what's to stop someone else from filling a legit box they bought earlier with clay and asking for $600 :p


I don't miss not working in retail any more.
 
Elf_Boy said:
I used to see this sort of crap at target too.
Click to expand...

Used to hear stories from family members about people buying the most expensive computers available at Wal-Mart, taking them home and swapping all their old crap in (since its all standardized) and then returning the computer. The computer would even boot up so it looked fine from a cursery glance.

They "say" they are trained to check the insides now-a-days.
 
I don't see how this happens, I've never returned an electronic more than $50 and not had them open the box to check the product. I suppose if it was re-shrink wrapped it might get through....
 
TheBuzzer said:
wonder could it is workers at the factories swapping some out for clay?
Click to expand...

I doubt it. I can imagine security at the factories is pretty good considering they're actively trying to keep their workforce from killing themselves. ;)
 
Soggy said:
I don't see how this happens, I've never returned an electronic more than $50 and not had them open the box to check the product. I suppose if it was re-shrink wrapped it might get through....
Click to expand...

They rewrapped them. My Xbox360 that I purchased had been swapped (it was RROD) by someone (so serials didn't match) and I had to go around in circles with the manager before they gave me a new one. If the item is in new/unopened condition, a lot of the stores will just accept them at face value as long as there's the proper weight to the box (hence the clay). If it feels empty, they may peek inside.
 
Lmao, finally some news local to me and it's this bullshit? :D Hardly surprising though.
 
westrock2000 said:
Used to hear stories from family members about people buying the most expensive computers available at Wal-Mart, taking them home and swapping all their old crap in (since its all standardized) and then returning the computer. The computer would even boot up so it looked fine from a cursery glance.

They "say" they are trained to check the insides now-a-days.
Click to expand...

Soggy said:
I don't see how this happens, I've never returned an electronic more than $50 and not had them open the box to check the product. I suppose if it was re-shrink wrapped it might get through....
Click to expand...

Back in the old days I bought a 486DX-33 from Computer City in Niagara Falls they opened and inspected anything taken out of their store. My system was a perfect example, some guy bought it while I was in the store, took it out to his car and was back about 10 minutes later with his wife, who had been in a nearby store, and she made him return it (ouch, that had to be a soul crusher. LOL!)

The salesman I was talking to said "if you can wait hang around for 30-60 minutes you can have the system he bought for $500 less since even though they boxes hadn't even been open they had to go back into their tech area and be opened, inspected and tested.

Sure the computer was considerably more expensive then an iPad, but then again opening and inspecting an ipad would be considerably easier as well.
 
I know people that have done this in the past with video cards at Best Buy. They'd buy a new one, clean up the old one and put it in the box and then return it. The nubs at the store didn't know the difference or they didn't even open it to check.
 
I worked at a place that made PC's for Fry's. When Fry's comes nocking at your PC shop and says "We will buy all your PC's" most company's celibrate, but they should run the other direction and FAST. Here is why.

One of the contract stipulations when selling to Fry's is you must accept all returns, fix them, and return them to Fry's fully working to its original condition. Im sure most people think "that sounds fine! Whats wrong with that?", well it has a LOT to do with the clay iPads. Here is how it goes down, and how Fry's makes a TON of free money.

So they get this new vender and put in a huge order. New vender takes out loans, highers new employees, and basically goes in debt to make this new order. Order is delivered and Fry's wont pay out. They have a book of excuses why and lawering up takes forever.

Fry's sells these new computers cheep. Typically you have about 10-20% DOA's and thats standard due to shipping what whatnot. Fry's for some reason has about 20-30% RMA's. Something the vender never expects. Also Fry's delivers them all at once, putting further strain on the vender.

Now, here is were I came in. I cant tell you how many times I opened up a Fry's RMA and found A: NOTHING inside, B: Old parts the customer swapped out for the new or even C: DIRT. Yes. I had a PC case filled with DIRT the customer returned for a refund.

Remember what I said at the top? About having to replace all returns? Bingo. Now the vender, in debt up to its eyes and not having to fit a repair bill on all these returns, goes bankrupt. Now, Fry's doesent need to pay for this shipment of computers and its all pure profit.

I have seen this happen many times over, and im sure it still happens. There is a reason why Fry's non-branded systems/bare bones keep changing names. I doubt anyone here even remembers Netram PC's?

Im sure they cant do this BS to Apple, but this sort of "scam" has been happening for YEARS. Its nothing new, and anyone with a roll of shrink wrap and a heat gun can do it. Most of the time they dont even need to bother that far. The only reason things are changing is because its APPLE, and not some non-name brand PC maker. Fry's/Best Buy/Walmart cant force Apple to replace the Ipads, so they are stick with the loss.
 
Okay two things going on here, who the heck is accepting the re-wrapping of these items as Kinko's certainly doesn't allow it, and what retard at the returns department is not even inspecting the box?

Fry's has a policy (as far as I know they still do) of having to open the returned item, since they got duped a few times with washing machine boxes filled with cinder blocks, and a broken item taking the place of the working item.
 
sfsuphysics said:
I'd hate to be that first customer, good luck try to get your money back and explain what happened there! Only when it occurred a few more times was their any proof involved.
Click to expand...

In an earlier story, the first customer that complained about it was treated like a thief until he went to CTV News. He eventually got an apology, full refund and a free iPad 2.

About the same time that customer bought his, I bought one for my wife at the exact same store. Luckily, we got home and I had a happy wife with a new toy.
 
Eisenblut said:
I know people that have done this in the past with video cards at Best Buy. They'd buy a new one, clean up the old one and put it in the box and then return it. The nubs at the store didn't know the difference or they didn't even open it to check.
Click to expand...

That's why the fancy clay replacements.
They assume that even if the store opens the box, they will just take a quick glance that something is inside that fits the packaging. If they replaced the ipad with a brick it would be to obvious.
 
I've had this happen twice to me but it was a really long time ago. One was a nintendo NES game with an older game inside and the other was a code scanner for my car. Opened it up and there was a book inside. In both cases the stores took the items back and replaced my purchase.

I returned something to Micro Center the other day and they must whip their employees in training because this girl looked at my return for 15 minutes just to be sure it was the same item and all numbers matched.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top