Cautionary tale about selling watch & not keeping note of serial number - company returned wrong one

[Ansath]

Strange that yours isn’t there ….. because they certainly didn’t stop that 4 years ago as per your post.

I’m just telling you what I was told by Apple.

 

[usagora]

I went to pair the returned watch to one of the work iPhones, to see if it claimed it was locked to my iCloud, since the work phones are not connected to my Apple ID.

I see. And this company will not take the fact that your Apple ID is not the same as the one the AW is locked to as proof that this is not the correct AW?

 

[usagora]

I’ve just been tidying up my wife’s new iPad and looked at her profile under settings and it still shows her AW’s that have long been unpaired and sold together with serial number.

Did you try looking there ? It’s the same on an iPhone.

Like the OP, mine only shows devices that are still connected to my AppleID. I don't know how your wife's iPad would show her past devices if they had been disassociated with her Apple ID. If they hadn't been disassociated, then then the new AW owner wouldn't be able to pair the AW with their iPhone.

 

[Ansath]

I see. And this company will not take the fact that your Apple ID is not the same as the one the AW is locked to as proof that this is not the correct AW?

Correct, on the call, they asked if a family member had used the device before I sent it in.

Also, it doesn’t give the full Apple ID, it’s partly censored. It shows as ‘t***@icloud.com’. So no way really to know who’s it is.

 

[usagora]

Also, it doesn’t give the full Apple ID, it’s partly censored. It shows as ‘t***@icloud.com’. So no way really to know who’s it is.

Yes, but since your Apple ID doesn't start with "t" (as you mentioned), then that proves it's not your Apple ID. In any case, it's a shame this company is not believing you or at least giving you the benefit of the doubt, seeing as you've dealt with them honestly many times in the past.

 

[Ansath]

Yes, but since your Apple ID doesn't start with "t" (as you mentioned), then that proves it's not your Apple ID. In any case, it's a shame this company is not believing you or at least giving you the benefit of the doubt, seeing as you've dealt with them honestly many times in the past.

They could argue that I might have more than one. Not knowing the full Apple ID makes it hard to really prove either way.

The company clearly have a protocol in place for any kind of situation like this and easiest way to treat everyone fairly, is by what can be evidenced, and if I’d not gotten so lax with keeping a record of it, then having my serial number would have either resolved it, or get my foot in the door to legally challenge them.

Lesson learnt & will not be letting that happen again. Just hope it helps others, to be careful when selling, to keep good records, just in case.

 

[BigBlur]

Just another crazy thought… If you have access to an old backup of when the watch was paired with the phone, I wonder if the serial number is in there somewhere. Or if you restored it, would the old watch still show in the Watch app to view its details?

 

[usagora]

They could argue that I might have more than one. Not knowing the full Apple ID makes it hard to really prove either way.

That's where the giving you the benefit of the doubt comes in. I agree your advice about record-keeping is sound, but I don't look as kindly on this company as you are, based on what you've told us. They clearly goofed up and you're being punished for it. Not cool. I work with the public, and even when I think I'm right, if I can't prove the customer is wrong about a discrepancy, I always give them the benefit of the doubt, even if they can't prove they're right either.