Contents of APPLE Return Parcel STOLEN

[naz-dream-boys]

A few weeks ago I purchased a MacBook from the Apple website, price almost £1500. I’d used it for a few days but decided I wanted to exchange it for a higher spec model. I set up the return, and printed a UPS returns label from the Apple website. Returned it to a UPS newsagent for it to be collected about a week before Christmas.

Today I’ve received a phone call from Apple to tell me that the box they received was empty!! The laptop box, charger etc. is there but no actual laptop. I am furious! I have got the serial number of the laptop, the tracking number, I gave a description of who accepted the parcel, the exact time I dropped it off. I have sent these all to Apple. Apple said they have done an investigation, but they said the package did not show any obvious signs of tampering, so there is nothing they can do. And I will not be receiving a refund.

I feel violated. For this to happen just around Christmas time, I honestly cannot afford to lose this money. With the Christmas break, it has been about 12 days now since I originally dropped it off. My initial thoughts are the newsagent owners have stolen the laptop. On the returns label it said Apple for the returns address, so they would have known it was something high value inside. But there is no way for me to prove this. It is essentially my word against theirs, as they do not weight the parcel before accepting it.

I am surprised that with all the technology Apple have available, they can not see where the laptop has been turned on last, who has logged into it, the wifi network it has been connected to…

What are my best options at this point? I was planning to go to the police and report this. And also possibly open a chargeback with my credit card company. Is there anything else I can do to resolve this?

 

[OLDGUYWITHAHIFI]

A few weeks ago I purchased a MacBook from the Apple website, price almost £1500. I’d used it for a few days but decided I wanted to exchange it for a higher spec model. I set up the return, and printed a UPS returns label from the Apple website. Returned it to a UPS newsagent for it to be collected about a week before Christmas.

Today I’ve received a phone call from Apple to tell me that the box they received was empty!! The laptop box, charger etc. is there but no actual laptop. I am furious! I have got the serial number of the laptop, the tracking number, I gave a description of who accepted the parcel, the exact time I dropped it off. I have sent these all to Apple. Apple said they have done an investigation, but they said the package did not show any obvious signs of tampering, so there is nothing they can do. And I will not be receiving a refund.

I feel violated. For this to happen just around Christmas time, I honestly cannot afford to lose this money. With the Christmas break, it has been about 12 days now since I originally dropped it off. My initial thoughts are the newsagent owners have stolen the laptop. On the returns label it said Apple for the returns address, so they would have known it was something high value inside. But there is no way for me to prove this. It is essentially my word against theirs, as they do not weight the parcel before accepting it.

I am surprised that with all the technology Apple have available, they can not see where the laptop has been turned on last, who has logged into it, the wifi network it has been connected to…

What are my best options at this point? I was planning to go to the police and report this. And also possibly open a chargeback with my credit card company. Is there anything else I can do to resolve this?

I would think it is no different than a laptop being stolen. You could report it to police, but based my experience nothing will come of it but you would have record of the crime. I don't think Apple can track a laptop at will. Think of the privacy issues. Did you not insure an expensive laptop when your shipped it?

At the very least report it to your credit card company. Ask Apple for details of their investigation. Were there pictures taken? What does the investigation involve?

Call UPS and report it. Ask them to investigate. Worst case scenario file a smalls claims case with your local court (If in the USA). Obviously it was taken at some point. I would ask UPS to investigate. Obviously if you did in fact place the laptop into the box and return it, someone had to open the box and remove it. There would be signs of tampering.

Or look under your bed maybe you forgot to put it in the box?

 

[chscag]

Whenever I ship something of high value with UPS, I make sure to declare the value of the item and pay the insurance that UPS offers. If you had done that, that would make UPS responsible for the value of the MacBook and not you. I realize it's too late for you now, but perhaps you can take UPS to task over this and hold them responsible for the stolen MacBook.

 

[naz-dream-boys]

I would think it is no different than a laptop being stolen. You could report it to police, but based my experience nothing will come of it but you would have record of the crime. I don't think Apple can track a laptop at will. Think of the privacy issues. Did you not insure an expensive laptop when your shipped it?

At the very least report it to your credit card company. Ask Apple for details of their investigation. Were there pictures taken? What does the investigation involve?

Call UPS and report it. Ask them to investigate. Worst case scenario file a smalls claims case with your local court (If in the USA). Obviously it was taken at some point. I would ask UPS to investigate. Obviously if you did in fact place the laptop into the box and return it, someone had to open the box and remove it. There would be signs of tampering.

Or look under your bed maybe you forgot to put it in the box?

I have definitely sent the laptop back. I remember the box was heavy, certainly more than the 1kg they said the parcel weighed when it was delivered back to Apple.

The returns label I printed directly from the Apple website, there was no option to insure it. I simply printed the label, stuck it onto the box, and dropped it as a UPS shop as directed by Apple. I think if I report it to the police, I will at least have a crime reference number. This may help my case, if I decide to report it to the credit card company.

 

[Bigjet]

You say the package weighed 1kg when Apple received it....UPS, like FEDEX, weighs the package upon receiving it for shipment. If it weighed more than 1kg at that time, it would seem you have evidence that something was removed from the shipment between the receipt at UPS and delivery and weighing at Apple. I'd think that substantiates some elements of your claim. Good luck. I loathe thieves.

 

[maflynn]

Returned it to a UPS newsagent for it to be collected about a week before Christmas.

I take pictures of the box being sealed up with item inside. Additionally I get a receipt from the shipping agent and if memory serves me, the weight of the package should be on the receipt.

 

[OLDGUYWITHAHIFI]

I have definitely sent the laptop back. I remember the box was heavy, certainly more than the 1kg they said the parcel weighed when it was delivered back to Apple.

The returns label I printed directly from the Apple website, there was no option to insure it. I simply printed the label, stuck it onto the box, and dropped it as a UPS shop as directed by Apple. I think if I report it to the police, I will at least have a crime reference number. This may help my case, if I decide to report it to the credit card company.

There is your proof. End of story.

Compare the weight of the parcel when they shipped it. Ask UPS for the info. Or obtain the tracking info. Should have the weight of the parcel when it was shipped. If it weighed more when it was entered into tracking then it did when it arrived that is proof that it was tampered with along the route.

 

[canuckRus]

Do you have 90 day CC purchase protection? Surely your shipping document lists the weight.

 

[Richdmoore]

I will mirror the above. Contact ups and complain, they should start an investigation. Meanwhile, contact your credit card and talk to someone and ask about any coverage you may have. Do a chargeback if that is what is necessary. (Be sure to do it before the max 60/90 days are up.)

Filing a police report is not completely useless, even if the computer is not recovered as it gives credibility to your story. Lying to the police & filing a false report is a crime, so when you do that it indicates your story is truthful. The police report may be required by the credit card company anyway to get reimbursed. I would search your records for the serial number of the laptop for the police report as well.

I would also try to escalate with Apple, I think you can email Tim Cook and the executive support team will get back to you to try and hopefully resolve this. (Look up executive email carpet bomb on google.)

 

[Sammy's]

I loathe thieves.

X2

Do everything that everybody has mentioned - don't let these maggots get away with it!

Good luck and Godspeed!

 

[naz-dream-boys]

I take pictures of the box being sealed up with item inside. Additionally I get a receipt from the shipping agent and if memory serves me, the weight of the package should be on the receipt.

The reason I mentioned the newsagents stealing the parcel is because they did not give me a receipt, I should have mentioned this before. It’s one of the first things Apple asked me for. They scanned the barcode on the parcel and told me it would be collected later that day.

I think in this case, I will report it to the police. I won’t mention the newsagent is responsible since I do not have any concrete proof. But I will mention all the facts, the fact I did not receive a receipt.

I regret not specifically asking for one at the time, but I guess I know now… It’s a very expensive lesson for me.

 

[chscag]

Okay, that makes sense now. When I mentioned above about declaring the value, I had assumed when they scanned the package the receiving agent gave you a receipt. That is where you would declare the value, pay extra, and it would be insured. I recently sent a 27" iMac to my son from here in Texas to Atlanta, Georgia and that is the procedure the UPS agent followed. I sincerely hope you can reclaim your loss from UPS. It seems to me they were being deceptive.

 

[Sammy's]

The reason I mentioned the newsagents stealing the parcel is because they did not give me a receipt, I should have mentioned this before. It’s one of the first things Apple asked me for. They scanned the barcode on the parcel and told me it would be collected later that day.

I think in this case, I will report it to the police. I won’t mention the newsagent is responsible since I do not have any concrete proof. But I will mention all the facts, the fact I did not receive a receipt.

I regret not specifically asking for one at the time, but I guess I know now… It’s a very expensive lesson for me.

1. Work out your chronology - date, time, employee that you handed the package off to and told you that it would be collected later that day. Don't alert the newsagents - there maybe footage of you handing it off. If the label was generated by Apple see if you have a copy of it - you should if you printed it out to put on the package. Get the tracking # and search online to get the shipping info. The theft happened sometime between when you handed the package off and it was received at Apple (remember they deal with employee theft too.)

2. File the police report - the value probably makes it a felony. Ask the police how they are going to handle it and see what else they need from you and if they want you to hang back for a second while they investigate. When you have the police report # in hand and the ok from them raise hell with everybody! Force them to investigate - these are legitimate businesses and one of them has an employee(s) that stole your property that was paid for with your hard earned money!

Don't take this lying down!

Good Luck!

 

[triptolemus]

I think in this case, I will report it to the police. I won’t mention the newsagent is responsible since I do not have any concrete proof. But I will mention all the facts, the fact I did not receive a receipt.

Do not decide what you will mention and not mention compared to what constitutes "proof" or "facts". Tell the police exactly what happened. The police are smart enough to sort through your statement and make any necessary determinations of facts as may be needed for their report.

 

[JullsJTRIRE]

Maybe they just don't want to SEE what happened to the laptop. The case's quite old, indeed, but I wonder how the story ended. Did you find any trace of the parcel? I think police won't do much good investigating the case and that could be considered as a painful but valuable lesson. Speaking about tracking, perhaps the mailing service had something to do with it. When I order stuff, I always use different sort of trackers, like that one, for example - https://parceltrackingapp.com/en.

Anyway, the whole situation looks stinky. Guess it's still necessary to bring the matter to the court, it's not as if you lost $100 and forget about it so easily.