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iPhone 8/Plus AppleCare refund fraud?

L

.Logan

macrumors regular
Original poster
Aug 7, 2010
110
42
Calgary, AB
Just had the craziest experience, and very curious if anyone has heard of this taking place.

I bought an iPhone 8 Plus in-store November 2017 with AppleCare (have valid receipt with AppleCare end date of November 2019). I've been considering a battery replacement so thought I'd check my support coverage (I realize I'd likely be paying full price anyway, but it's what prompted me). It says my support expired, and it looked like my AppleCare wasn't linked to the phone.

That's fine, I realize that could happen so I call support and speak with an AppleCare agent. They're claiming I cancelled my AppleCare October 2018 and requested a refund, and that they sent an e-transfer to my bank for $65? I definitely did not request this, and have zero record via email and do not have an e-transfer from them (or anyone) in October. Also seems strange Apple would do an e-transfer vs a credit card refund. I've never given them my banking information.

The agent said they are going to research this further, but wouldn't give me any details about what bank account it was sent to/how the request was received etc. This is the strangest thing I've encountered in all my time owning Apple products.

Is this something that anyone has ever heard of happening? Someone calling, cancelling your AppleCare to get the refund? Very concerned with how Apple would have verified my identity also.

Scary! Hoping it's just a system error on their end.
 
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BasicGreatGuy said:
A mistake and fraud are not the same thing. Apple made a mistake.
Click to expand...
I certainly hope so, but you have to understand the agent is claiming I called in October and cancelled it and they have on record that they sent a refund to me which I did not request. Sounds like a weird mistake for their system to generate when I wouldn't have even spoke to Apple in October.
 
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If you’re concerned, you should immediately change your iCloud password and maybe your security questions too.
 
noobinator said:
I'm pretty sure the $ goes back on your original purchase method so not sure how they could pull this off.
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I recently requested a refund for the "unused" portion of AppleCare on my X when I got the XR. My X was purchased with a credit card. They gave me the option of receiving the credit via an Apple Store or iTunes gift card, which was fine with me. I chose iTunes and received the credit about a day later.
 
Apple generally won’t refund into a random account. Either you get a store credit or refund back to the same card that was used to make the original purchase.
 
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akash.nu said:
Apple generally won’t refund into a random account. Either you get a store credit or refund back to the same card that was used to make the original purchase.
Click to expand...

Incorrect - I've had my apple care "unused portion" refunded several times over the years. Each time they have refunded via electronic deposit into my bank account, for which I had to provide them the account # & routing number. They do also offer refund via apple gift card.
 
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akash.nu said:
Apple generally won’t refund into a random account. Either you get a store credit or refund back to the same card that was used to make the original purchase.
Click to expand...
This is def wrong. When I had to get my refund, they asked me for my debit or credit card number over the phone or if I wanted an iTunes gift card. I chose the iTunes card.
 
AndrewR23 said:
This is def wrong. When I had to get my refund, they asked me for my debit or credit card number over the phone or if I wanted an iTunes gift card. I chose the iTunes card.
Click to expand...

Any random card you mean? I’ve never had that experience.
 
When I bought my Apple Watch series 4, I got a refund for the Apple care on my series 2 watch. They credited it back straight to my bank, even though I purchased the Apple care with a different credit card.
 
So just to give those curious an update: they don't know what happened. His system showed evidence of a phone call taking place to cancel the AppleCare and request a refund. The AppleCare agent didn't have clearance to listen to the phone call and his escalation request to access it was denied. As a result, it was re-instated but with no answers as to exactly what happened which is concerning.

One possibility he said is someone did call in to cancel their AppleCare however the serial number could have been mistyped by the AppleCare agent in their system, causing them to cancel mine by mistake. Who knows! Glad it's back just a very strange occurrence.
 
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Ah yes, computers, what could go wrong. Can’t wait for driverless cars, computer chip/software locks up at 70 mph on a curve.
What could go wrong? :confused:
 
HEK said:
Ah yes, computers, what could go wrong. Can’t wait for driverless cars, computer chip/software locks up at 70 mph on a curve.
What could go wrong? :confused:
Click to expand...

If you read the update carefully, it was a human error. 70 mph will not happen on a curve if a computer is in charge to begin with.
 
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akash.nu said:
If you read the update carefully, it was a human error. 70 mph will not happen on a curve if a computer is in charge to begin with.
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Right what vehicle would ever travel 70 miles per hour on a banked curve on freeway. Like all of them.

And all the hang ups, frozen processors, blank screens in lap tops, phones, gps devices, track pads, desk top are due to human error. Right
 
HEK said:
Right what vehicle would ever travel 70 miles per hour on a banked curve on freeway. Like all of them.

And all the hang ups, frozen processors, blank screens in lap tops, phones, gps devices, track pads, desk top are due to human error. Right
Click to expand...
As mentioned previously your comments aren’t relevant as this was more than likely due to human error on Apple’s side.

Slow day for you? ;)
 
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The computer is in charge of the Bluetooth on the new Mac Mini right now....how is that working out? Poorly, if you haven't been keeping up.

akash.nu said:
If you read the update carefully, it was a human error. 70 mph will not happen on a curve if a computer is in charge to begin with.
Click to expand...
 
robjulo said:
The computer is in charge of the Bluetooth on the new Mac Mini right now....how is that working out? Poorly, if you haven't been keeping up.
Click to expand...

Ha ha ha. You seriously think critical systems get developed that callously?! In case you didn’t know, all of our satellites, rockets, planes etc are all controlled by computers autonomously.
 
robjulo said:
The computer is in charge of the Bluetooth on the new Mac Mini right now....how is that working out? Poorly, if you haven't been keeping up.
Click to expand...

Ha ha ha. You seriously think critical systems get developed that callously?! In case you didn’t know, all of our satellites, rockets, planes etc are all controlled by computers autonomously.
 
I was being facetious. But I would hope thousand dollar plus computers weren't developed callously either....and that things as basic as bluetooth worked like they were supposed to.

akash.nu said:
Ha ha ha. You seriously think critical systems get developed that callously?! In case you didn’t know, all of our satellites, rockets, planes etc are all controlled by computers autonomously.
Click to expand...
 
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