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NeedThis

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Feb 20, 2013
1
0
I took my black MacBook to some guy off yelp to fix my screen and now I think he might of switched my computer!

Nothing matches. Not the serial number. Not the copyright stamp on the bottom. Nothing.

He said its because he switched my keyboard as well. Which he did. But I didn't tell him too. And the worst part is its still broken!

I called and he said that hell fix the problem real fast. But that I have my MacBook. He just said because he switched the keyboard, the serial numbers don't match. Is that it?

I feel like he just moved everything from my computer to a crappy one. I bought mine in 2009 and it says 2007. None of the scratches match.

Anyone with some advice? He sent me a picture of my old keyboard with my serial Number. But I don't know what to think. Help!
 

old-wiz

macrumors G3
Mar 26, 2008
8,331
228
West Suburban Boston Ma
if it was on Yelp, post a comment on Yelp that the guy is a criminal who steals your computer. and your computer is probably gone for good. I hope you had a backup of your data.
 

l.a.rossmann

macrumors 65816
May 15, 2009
1,096
372
Brooklyn
Go for the most plausible scenario. I am paraphrasing a famous saying here, never attribute to malice what should be attributed to stupidity.

The guy runs a business. He advertises on Yelp, so he's probably trying to build a reputation. He may stumble in building a reputation. Don't get me wrong; he has to be accountable for that. However, people who take a 2009 laptop and give you back a different, 2007 laptop, are scammers. Career scammers typically don't use Yelp. Scammers do not attempt to build an online reputation, using the same name they use when they scam you. Like the white van people hanging out in mall parking lots, scammers do not have any roots - they are not wasting their time posting business listing on reputation building websites that only benefits them if they are accountable to their customers, because the scammer's plans do not involve being accountable to anyone.

It is more likely he swapped the keyboard to save his own ass from embarrassment. Whether the embarrassment was from a) not knowing it was broken when it was given to him because he didn't check it out properly in front of you before fixing it, or b) breaking it during the repair process, I am unsure. I'm inclined to say A because it is **REALLY** hard to f#&k this part up doing this repair, you would have to be a total imbecile to do such a thing - but I've employed enough people by now to never doubt the idiocy of others. So B is very likely possible.

The serial number is stored in the motherboard, but it is printed physically on the laptop. It is possible to change the serial number that shows on the outside of a laptop by replacing the keyboard. It is not possible to change the serial number the machine reads while it is turned on, by replacing the keyboard.

Check the serial number of the laptop in the about this mac section. If the serial number in the about this mac section matches the picture he sent you of your keyboard, than he likely just switched the keyboard and is telling the truth.

If you need to yell at the dude for replacing the keyboard, that's fine. If you need to yell at him for the computer not functioning properly, go ahead. If you didn't ask him to replace the keyboard and he did so anyway, he has some explaining to do. Maybe he noticed that the keyboard was ****ed up and didn't bring it up to you because he was afraid he would be blamed for breaking it. I've had enough experience on this to make a four part video series of my experience hoping to help some junior technicians avoid these scenarios through better communication.

Maybe he DID break something on the keyboard, so he swapped it so you wouldn't know he broke it. Either way, it sounds like poor communication is all he is guilty of so far, until you check the rest of the laptop. I'm not excusing poor communication by any means - poor communication is what leads to customer paranoia, and communication is the responsibility of the technician. What I'm saying is, save accusing him of thieving the laptop until you know he did it. You may find people are more helpful when you approach them with less paranoid intentions.
 
Last edited:

a-m-k

macrumors 65816
Sep 3, 2009
1,446
111
A scenario like this is the reason that when things go wrong with my MBP. I'm either taking it to a reputable repair shop (which I have done with my old MBP), or talking to my cousin(-in-law) who just happens to live down the street.

Good luck, I hope you get this figured out ASAP!
 

Brian Y

macrumors 68040
Oct 21, 2012
3,776
1,064
Well, the serial is printed on the Upper Case, which contains the keyboard. But still, the real question is why he didn't fix the screen.

The bottom scratches I have no idea about - But I often forgot to switch stickers over wen replacing MacBook top cases (the serial is on a sticker on the top case, so replacing the keyboard, and not moving the sticker over, would change the serial). Check the serial that's shown in about this mac?
 

minifridge1138

macrumors 65816
Jun 26, 2010
1,175
197
Best scenario is that he screwed up and accidentally gave you someone else's computer.

Worst scenario is that he cheated you.

I have to agree that if he's on Yelp then it's more likely he screwed up than he is a thief.

Good luck and let us know how it turns out.
 
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