back to article Modeling-clay iPads foisted on unwary Canucks

Canadian scammers are buying iPad 2s, replacing them in their original packaging with ZipLoc bags filled with modeling clay, "professionally shrink-wrapping" the boxes, then returning them for refunds, absconding with the precious fondleslabs. The precisely weighted, shrinkwrapped packages containing the clay-filled bags are …

COMMENTS

This topic is closed for new posts.
  1. Dana W
    Meh

    No shock

    This problem is so epidemic at Worst Buy that before I stopped going there altogether I made it a point to open anything I got at the cash register.

    More than once I saw a new box with a three year old video card in it, as the teenager at the returns department does not usually know the difference, people find it an easy path to an "upgrade".

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      yet for many buyers

      The clay is probably more useful!

      1. petur
        Thumb Up

        Indeed, with the clay you are free to do anything you like, no walled garden, restrictions. Hell, you could even model some porn action with it and not have any problem!

        1. This post has been deleted by its author

        2. Thomas 4
          IT Angle

          We're missing the big picture here

          Does it perform better or worse than the hand painted wooden iPad, now available from dodgy car parks everywhere?

          1. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            Performance

            The wooden models have a grainy display and are much less flexible.

        3. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          No, you need playmobil for the p*rn action, as any reader tof El Reg should know

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Pint

      Many moons ago

      when doovde (DVD) playback required a seperate PCI card for best results i went into a PC world store. I purchased one of these cards. Took it home, opened it up to find a missing piece, a vga to card cable as i recall. So off i went to ask for a replacement. Upon openeing that i found this had no driver cd....By now i was hacked off so i took and old s3 virge card which i had to shoehorn in to the box, some crappy cable and returned back to PC world. Waited until i got the clearly hopeless MOS then blew a valve.... 2 visits, my fuel wasted etc etc, crappy service..Of course, i did this in peak times... The muppet opened the box and saw whet he believed to be a DVD playback card and promptly refunded me to save any further hassle as the queue was getting long. Result, a free DVD accelerator (Hollywood+ card!!!!)......

      Sometimes, as a consumer you simply have to beat them at their own game....

      PS, allegedly!.....

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Thumb Down

        @ cornz 1

        THIEF.

      2. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        @cornz 1

        I am really glad you're so proud of yourself, all over a missing cable and a CD, which if you had bothered checking for out in the car park, could have all be sorted in 5 mins in the store.

        Thanks to arseholes like you, these stores change policies and often change attitudes in that any customer going back with a return has to jump through so many hoops and made to feel like a troublemaker.

        Before you start shouting, "Grow a backbone.", oh I am more than happy to do that on a packed Saturday afternoon just for s**ts'n'giggles if nothing else but some people are not good at confrontation and they need all the help they can get from the law. My Missus will not say boo to a goose and I love nothing more than a bloody good argument on her behalf, as the Apple store staff in Glasgow will attest! Some people like her, may not know they're entitled to certain rights under UK law, don't necessarily have enough knowledge to argue with the intimidating store assistants in big places and they get turned over all because some arsehole like you has made it harder for honest people to deal with these places.

        Well done!

      3. ItsNotMe
        FAIL

        @cornz 1

        Nice going...scumbag.

    3. danielwalewis

      Amazon aren't immune either. I ordered a 128gb SSD, and received a 64gb SSD in a 128gb box. Btw, Crucial, if you're reading this; it's pointless putting a security seal on the top of a box if you leave the bottom wide open.

  2. ideapete

    I Can - Clay - Puck

    4 Canucks everywhere

  3. TonyToews

    I always open my laptop box before I leave the store

    I have always opened up laptop and similar boxes at the store and verified that a laptop is indeed in the box before walking out. The cashiers are dumbfounded. "But that's the original factory sealing tape on there." said one. My reply "And how do I know that?"

    I make the folks in line behind me wait if that's what it takes. They don't argue with me. Hehehe

  4. Sorry that handle is already taken. Silver badge
    Meh

    Is it news because Apple products are involved?

    This must be the first time something like this has ever happened.

    1. ElNumbre
      Joke

      Shhhush

      Don't let the Apple Lawyers see this - they'll patent the idea and call it the iBrick or something.

      1. amanfromearth

        ah

        iDoh!

  5. LaeMing

    When I lived in China,

    retailers would routinely open the box and even show you the device working before you left the store with it. And that was years ago.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Still the case here in Singapore

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Same in Bulgaria

      In most electronic stores in BG the staff will not allow you to leave the store until they have turned on the gadget, verified it works and stamped the warranty card with the store stamp.

      If you insist on leaving before that the on duty manager will show up and will explain you exactly where you can shove your warranty demands if they have not checked if it is working right in front of you.

  6. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    People buying iPads are been scammed

    Nothing new in that

    1. Dazed and Confused
      Coat

      @AC 02:49

      Was that all "People buying ..." ?

    2. SYNTAX__ERROR
      FAIL

      People are been?

      That doesn't even make sense.

      Are you too stupid to understand the word 'BEING' ?

      1. SYNTAX__ERROR
        Flame

        Ah, I see there are downvotes

        from three more illiterate cretins who can't be bothered to learn to read and write their mother tongue.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          No, it's probably more about an obvious iTard being offended by an obvious joking comment and lashing out with a personal attack instead of spending some time to think up a witty comeback.

          At least that's why I downvoted it.

          1. Dana W
            Meh

            No.

            Most of us "iTards" are just bored with the same anon troll and their one joke.

            Yeah, they sell by the millions because nobody uses them and they all feel ripped off. You guys really need new material. "and no I don't own an iPad, I'm not the market"

          2. This post has been deleted by its author

          3. SYNTAX__ERROR
            FAIL

            Also @AC 16:28

            Your assumptions are inaccurate.

            I generally disagree with the ethos of Apple Computer. However, I do own a MacBook Pro (on which I mainly run Windows) as it is a superior quality piece of equipment.

            I would not choose to part with my own money in return for either an iPhone or iPad.

            So I probably don't fit into your definition of "iTard", sorry.

            Regardless, wilful ignorance (not necessarily misuse by itself) of the English language is reprehensible and should always be countered with stern vituperation.

        2. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          SYNTAX__ERROR. REDO FROM START!

          What makes you so sure English is AC's mother tounge?????

          Which is why I am going to downvote you... and for using the wrong icon.

          1. SYNTAX__ERROR
            Facepalm

            Because...

            people who learn English as an additional language usually pay attention to its proper use.

            Retarded nonsense such as the title of the original comment only comes from ignorant, backward morons who couldn't be bothered to learn even one language properly.

  7. glenalec
    Coat

    Clay tablets

    are SO last epoch!

  8. Arctic fox
    Joke

    "$695 worth of clay, that's what we have" Are we to assume that his new fondleslabe.....

    .........was bricked?

    1. Michael H.F. Wilkinson Silver badge
      Joke

      That's inflation for you

      I am amazed $695 worth of clay fits in a box that size. Last time I checked prices they brought a truckload of the stuff for that kind of money.

  9. Winkypop Silver badge
    Trollface

    Refund clay-m?

    Maybe it's an ancient Sumerian device.

    All you need is a stick.

    1. Drew V.
      Thumb Up

      ...and some water for corrections.

      Oh, and an oven for permanent saving of data. Disk wipe not an option.

    2. Simon Harris
      Coat

      Recently discovered historical records show that devious ancient Sumerians used to take their clay tablets out of the box, and replace them with iPads before taking the box back to the shop for a refund.

  10. Martin Maloney
    Coat

    If you use a credit/debit card...

    ...does that make it a cashless Clay boxing match?

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Has to be the worst..

      Pre 9AM pun I've ever seen. Upvoted 'natch

    2. Scott Broukell
      Thumb Up

      @Martin Maloney

      Perhaps you could Frazier sentences better.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        > Perhaps you could Frazier sentences better.

        He's not Foreman them very well is he?

    3. AndGregor
      Go

      awesome

      Claymobil, models please or its not true..

    4. Jedit Silver badge
      Coat

      Cashless clay

      Please ... he changed his name after converting to iSlam.

    5. ravenviz Silver badge
      Coat

      RE: If you use a credit/debit card...

      That is an en-Tyson idea!

    6. Anonymous Coward
      Thumb Up

      You, sir, made me chuckle.

  11. This post has been deleted by its author

  12. tony
    Happy

    Wouldn't it be easier to buy yourself an iPad, take it out and then take a box with a bag of clay inside back to the store?

    1. Jonathan Walsh
      Unhappy

      Isn't that exactly what they did?

      1. Danny 14
        Stop

        um

        I think what he meant was go to store and buy ipad 2. nip next door and buy modelling clay. put modelling clay in box and ipad 2 in car. nip back to shop and play holy hell about the lack of ipad 2 in the box. walk out with another ipad 2. Same idea different thievery.

  13. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Sounds Good

    This new iPad sounds good, but what's the battery life like?

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Can't be any worse than the last one

  14. JDX Gold badge

    Never heard of that scam

    though clearly it's not new. Got to love the ingenuity of it though.

  15. Scott Broukell
    Coat

    Leave it out in the sun ......

    ... and it turns into something by Adobe.

  16. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    If folk would buy one...

    ... the next target might be a BB ClayBook.

  17. Ian Johnston Silver badge
    Thumb Up

    Breaking News

    Apple has just sued the makers of Plasticine for look-and-feel infringement.

  18. Graham Bartlett
    Facepalm

    "$695 of clay"

    I don't understand. You buy an iPad from a shop and find that there isn't an iPad inside. Why not get the shop to sort it out, instead of whining that you're out $695? Sure it's Canada, but even Newfies could figure that one out.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Because unless you opened it at the shop checkout in front of witnesses, and could show them the box they sold you 30 seconds ago actually just contained a block of clay, how do you intend to prove to the shop they're actually responsible a day later when you go back to try to return it?

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Or, like the guy in the article, you bought it (presumably) days or weeks or months previously as a Christmas present for your Better Half. Even tougher to prove it then

    2. commonsense

      "$695 of clay"

      Or just sell the clay for $695 and buy an iPad.

  19. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    'London Drugs'?

    That's really a trading name?

    But surely you'd EXPECT to be unwrapping a bag full of clay dust or -if you-re lucky- a bag of sugar if you bought anything from there?!

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Thumb Up

      They have some bizarre high street store names here.

      It's basically a department store that started life as a drug store/chemist.

  20. dpGoose
    Coat

    This happened to me..

    I re-tiled by bathroom and have angrybirds all over the wall.

  21. ravenviz Silver badge
    WTF?

    I really don't know why some people think this sort of behaviour is OK. If I want something I work to earn the money to pay for it. Mind you high prices mean I wait until I can afford one second hand but I'm happy with that.

  22. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    "$695 worth of clay,"

    How'd he get out of Best Buy without an extended warranty?

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      I'd like to know this too! Would be extremely helpful to know how to avoid the $20 extended warranty on the $5 flash drive I'm trying to purchase.

  23. Graham Bartlett

    @AC

    Prove to the shop?! If I bought anything else and it was broken or not as described, and *especially* if it had clearly been tampered with, it'd go back to the shop PDQ. And the shop would be doing the "we're really very sorry sir" routine, unless they want the whole shop to know about it

    1. Figgus

      Even if you bought it 3 months earlier as a gift for your wife? Yeah, good luck with that.

  24. David Crowe
    Linux

    iPot

    You could easily make an iPot out of the clay, a perfect present for iDad on Father's Day.

This topic is closed for new posts.

Other stories you might like