My wife's machine was bought at the Apple Store last year with Apple Care on the spot. We asked for the box and they told us no box any more. They just register it at the store. So I have no box for hers either but I do have an Apple Store receipt.
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Don't buy AppleCare on Ebay
- Thread starter Detektiv-Pinky
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That I could understand, as it was at an apple store. You have receipt from apple. If you buy AC from apple.com, you get the box.
Yes, every Applecare box has a unique serial number. Each serial matches the code placed in the box.
The serial does matter.
If the code and serial are faked, the that mean they have simply found a way to print AppleCare boxes. But even so, while they could surely generate codes and serials with the right algorithms, I doubt they would be able to generate matching pairs.
As far as I know, they just email a code. That was what happened to me. I am sure it is the same with ALL AC. WHen i bought mine on ebay, i was emailed a code, went to the apple site to enter the code, and voila..
Good luck...
I bought Applecare online through ebay last year - or at least 358 days ago. Everything went fine. I got a confirmation email from Apple. I just happened to dig up this thread and check my Applecare status. It says it is NOT COVERED WITH EXTENDED APPLECARE. WTF!?
No notice, nothing... And not sure I want to spend a couple hundred dollars on a computer that is worth maybe 800... So so so so annoyed right now.
Who did you buy it from? Let's make a list out here so everyone can stay informed. Have you contacted Apple by phone to confirm that your AC is not valid?
Let's look at this logically. If you wanted to be an Apple authorised seller, you say you could be. However, Apple's direct prices aren't good enough for you to buy directly. So instead you buy from another Apple reseller - that doesn't make any kind of logical sense, because that means the reseller sells to you (in quite large amounts) at a loss - why would they do that?
Resellers don't get that much of a discount. I work for one of the biggest Apple resellers in the UK, which has a store, provides full tech support and supplies things to Apple for national events. Looking at the cost prices of AppleCare, we make hardly anything on it, despite the fact we buy in massive quantities. A tiny part of this is because Apple regulates prices, but the main reason is that Apple doesn't sell cheaply to its resellers. It wants to make money directly itself.
Your 'other sources' of purchase sound fishy to me.
Right, and why is this company not authorised now exactly?
My advice to everyone is:
There are various scams going on here: generated codes, codes acquired illegally/unethically, possibly credit card fraud, and scams where AppleCare is returned using a receipt.
Don't buy AppleCare from ANYONE who isn't Apple or an authorised reseller. If they are an authorised reseller (and can prove it) on ebay and have good feedback, then you can probably trust them. If they aren't an authorised reseller, especially if they say they 'could' be, question why they aren't.
Don't just assume that because your code is working now, everything's fine. A lot of times, when the 'real', legitimate code is activated (i.e. someone buys the box version of your key-generated code), or credit card fraud is reported or the original purchaser returns the AppleCare you're registered to, yours will be cancelled. So effectively your AppleCare is a ticking bomb. You're playing Russian roulette with your expensive Apple equipment.
Don't buy from a seller who won't provide you with a receipt and the box serial number - either the original from Apple or their own receipt if they are a big and authorised reseller.
Others that have said things are fine probably haven't a) needed to use the care to find out if it's actually legit or b) have been lucky and no one's got the box version of their code.
And good feedback means nothing - most buyers will leave positives straight after the code works: not a month later when the box is returned by the original purchaser, or several months later when the 'real' version is purchased by someone and the ebay buyer's registration becomes invalid.
Those few that have had problems and say the seller provided a full, sealed replacement - the seller probably takes a hit on one or two that have problems to make it seem authentic. It pays off in the long term.
Did you get the online student discount on a school computer? When I click the student discount link from work, it tells me I'm not on a campus computer and will need to mail/fax in proof.
Not every ebay applecare is a scam...
Hey, I've been following this thread from the start. A lot of interesting reading. I am sure there are some fake applecares being sold on ebay. The off-shore ones especially. But, there are some legitimate sellers too. I bought mine a month or so ago. Got iMac applecare for $81 from a guy who sold several. He had iMac and MacBook applecare IN THE SEALED BOX. He sold several and then when he was sold out that was it. If he had been counterfeiting them I think he would just make more and keep selling! I am pretty sure his were legit. As for the many, many statements that just because someone is selling applecare cheap automatically means it is fake, I don't agree. A lot are fake I am sure but applecare is a physical item that can be bought and sold and resold until it is opened and registered. Companies go out of business all the time and their items are sold for pennies on the dollar. I would say that most of the ebay sellers who have legit in-the-box applecare got them, maybe in bulk, from stores or distributors or resellers who were going out of business. Hence the good prices. I know this is not always the case but I feel sure that at least some of them are obtained this way. I feel pretty secure since mine came in the box and I have said box with the serial # and disks inside. I just hope apple doesn't start requiring both the box AND a receipt!
Also, many have said that apple NEVER sells applecare as a code only. But didn't someone post way back earlier that they worked at an educational institution and when they purchased applecare for their machines it was sent as codes only from apple? I just can't imagine apple shipping several hundred applecare boxes to some school to cover their machines when they could simply mail / email codes.
Peace Out
Hey, I've been following this thread from the start. A lot of interesting reading. I am sure there are some fake applecares being sold on ebay. The off-shore ones especially. But, there are some legitimate sellers too. I bought mine a month or so ago. Got iMac applecare for $81 from a guy who sold several. He had iMac and MacBook applecare IN THE SEALED BOX. He sold several and then when he was sold out that was it. If he had been counterfeiting them I think he would just make more and keep selling! I am pretty sure his were legit. As for the many, many statements that just because someone is selling applecare cheap automatically means it is fake, I don't agree. A lot are fake I am sure but applecare is a physical item that can be bought and sold and resold until it is opened and registered. Companies go out of business all the time and their items are sold for pennies on the dollar. I would say that most of the ebay sellers who have legit in-the-box applecare got them, maybe in bulk, from stores or distributors or resellers who were going out of business. Hence the good prices. I know this is not always the case but I feel sure that at least some of them are obtained this way. I feel pretty secure since mine came in the box and I have said box with the serial # and disks inside. I just hope apple doesn't start requiring both the box AND a receipt!
Also, many have said that apple NEVER sells applecare as a code only. But didn't someone post way back earlier that they worked at an educational institution and when they purchased applecare for their machines it was sent as codes only from apple? I just can't imagine apple shipping several hundred applecare boxes to some school to cover their machines when they could simply mail / email codes.
Peace Out
Unsold Apple products are returned to Apple, whether it's because a newer version has been released or the reseller goes out of business. I guess there may be the odd occasion when someone takes them from the company or tries to sell them without giving them back to Apple, but I'm not sure how likely this is...and these practices are still suspect if not downright illegal.
Apple will require a receipt if for some reason your code/registration comes into question (see examples in this thread).
Someone at an educational institution (or the original seller) would not be allowed to resell those AppleCare codes unless the buyers qualified for the educational discount...and it doesn't sound like anyone buying from ebay was asked for proof of their student status or similar discount elegibility.
As I understand, apple MAY require EITHER the serial # from the box OR the receipt. Since my box was sealed and I have the Serial # I think (hope
it will be OK.I wasn't saying those codes could be resold. Just saying that many have stated that Apple NEVER sells applecare as codes only but at least one poster said he had personally observed applecare being sold as codes only where he / she worked at the time. I offered this only as a Never say Never observation. It is really too bad Apple won't address this directly. I just wish Apple would come out with a statement on their applecare page that says applecare MUST be purchased only from them or only from an authorized seller and state emphatically that they do or do not ever sell codes only so buyers could be a little more empowered and know what is going on. Them just denying applecare sometimes after it has been registered without coming out and saying "Buy from us only" or whatever is just perpetuating the fraud.
Good question: The seller is "bleedblak" and he is *still* selling Applecare like crazy. Of course, if you look at his feedback, all of his auctions are set as private.
While I prefer to think of myself as savvy - this is certainly fraudulent actions. The codes people buy may work for a while - and long enough for may others to leave positive feedback but these will run out and there will be no recourse.
If you want to dispute this with Apple - you've got to have the original sales receipt.
How this seller or others are able to perpetrate a fraud on such consumers sickens me. I wish ebay would shut them down.
And I did call Apple. Apparently that code was registered on another computer. Such a scam scam scam.
As I understand, apple MAY require EITHER the serial # from the box OR the receipt. Since my box was sealed and I have the Serial # I think (hope
There's at least one person in this thread who had the box/serial number and was told they needed the receipt. But your seller sounds like he'she might be ok.
It's kind of irrelevant then, since the context of the discussion was in relation to resellers (also, information from five years ago might not hold up that well).
Not sure if this has been mentioned but,
I had purchased Applecare for my MBP from an ebay seller and it was shrink-wrapped in the box. After registering it, I used the service several times without any issues. Last December, my MBP went down hard, the ol' Nvidia video issue, and they decided to replace the laptop. Everything was fine UNTIL I requested a refund on the balance of my Applecare, which is a standard request. However, the problem was they wanted a receipt showing that I purchased it from an authorized reseller. When I couldn't produce it, I hit a wall and was never able to recover anything but, I wasn't complaining since I was the proud owner of a new machine with a new warranty. Now, I will not buy from anyone other than an authorized reseller as I don't want to take the chance.
-mx
I had purchased Applecare for my MBP from an ebay seller and it was shrink-wrapped in the box. After registering it, I used the service several times without any issues. Last December, my MBP went down hard, the ol' Nvidia video issue, and they decided to replace the laptop. Everything was fine UNTIL I requested a refund on the balance of my Applecare, which is a standard request. However, the problem was they wanted a receipt showing that I purchased it from an authorized reseller. When I couldn't produce it, I hit a wall and was never able to recover anything but, I wasn't complaining since I was the proud owner of a new machine with a new warranty. Now, I will not buy from anyone other than an authorized reseller as I don't want to take the chance.
-mx
Ebay will shut the auctions down only on notification from Apple. I emailed Apple a few months ago - sent emails to their legal team and fraud division. They're probably too involved in the tablet to look at this.
Till then, I'm assuming you have the seller's information? (usually the paypal receipt will show his name) - go to http://www.ic3.gov/default.aspx and file a complaint regarding fraud. They take some time to follow up, but they always do so. If the fraud is on a bigger scale then they will pass it on to the FBI.star-fish - good to have another Apple reseller out here. I agree that macman's reasons were so ridiculous, but you had to see how everyone here *still* went ahead and bought AC from him, even after I provided enough information and evidence that this AC was not legit. The best part was that his pricing from unauthorized sellers was better than that from authorized sellers
To the poster who mentioned that he/she received a sealed box for $81 from a seller who sold a few ACs and then stopped - that was probably from a store going bust. Sometimes people will buy closeouts and sell them for cheap - but they will be limited. Not an endless supply for sure.
ABSOLUTELY!!!
oh, here is the guy who I bought AC from on my iPhone. I had the screen replaced, no probs...that doesn't mean it will work down the road
, Although I only saved $20 over retail...ebay id is coastal_computing he says he isn't selling AC for a few weeks, at least that is what he said in the reply. I emailed if he has the boxes, and informed him of this thread. I got the response i listed above after he received that info. Coincidence?
Really? I am able to click on the link, and it works from my house. You will then see a list of schools, and then you click whatever school you go to, or one nearby. It will then go back to the home page.
I've never had to show proof ordering online, and when my brother went into the apple store, he didn't really need to show proof. They didn't really care..
Bad feeling, I think I may be screwed.
I just bought Applecare off of ebay before reading every post in this thread. I am starting to get a bad feeling about it. Here is the URL to the ended auction. Please tell be what you think. Any insight? If this is not legit, will I be covered Paypal. I paid using my bank's debit card via paypal. My warranty on my macbook is expiring in 3 weeks and I did not have the money to pay the $200+ right now. Here's the url. Thanks.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290358991551&_trkparms=tab%3DWatching
I just bought Applecare off of ebay before reading every post in this thread. I am starting to get a bad feeling about it. Here is the URL to the ended auction. Please tell be what you think. Any insight? If this is not legit, will I be covered Paypal. I paid using my bank's debit card via paypal. My warranty on my macbook is expiring in 3 weeks and I did not have the money to pay the $200+ right now. Here's the url. Thanks.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290358991551&_trkparms=tab%3DWatching
From the Seller perspective
This seller has 100% rating and he has sold other Apple products before. I have asked him more detail about the Applecare and he has replied me with this.
"hi there mate. you have NOTHING to worry about. i have sold an
applecare before, if it helps, check my profile feedback. Once
again to clarify, the box at the moment is NEW and SEALED. i
will have to slice the top and record down the actual enollment
number though, as i will get scammed. you could very easily
post on ebay that the enrolment number had already been
registered, and request a refund, in which as your proof you
supply your mates applecare number, which had been registered
before, and seeing as how the box is sealed i will never know to
prove otherwise. And you get a refund and an applecare free of
charge. However, if i record the number down, and an incident
like this occurs, i will have the registration date and details of
the person (which would be you or a spouce of) and you wont
get a refund and scam me in return ! Believe me this works. its a
security and safety measure for both me and you. No receipt will
be issued with this. Apple care number CAN NOT be faulty. Also,
there is a no refund policy with apple with applecare's anyway. A
receipt will be no good to you. If it is for tax purposes, you can
simply use your paypal invoice. I have done that before many
times. This was initially a gift to me from someone who knew i
had just recently bought a Macbook Pro, but i dont think i will
be needing it at all. Let me know if i have answered your
questions, any more queries please dont hesitate to ask."
However, at the end of the day, if there's any dispute, he will say I have already opened the box and cannot return it. (He doesn't accept returns according to his advertisements). If I insist that I haven't use the number in the box, I guess I won't be able to prove that. So I need to pass this purchase I guess. What a shame...
Don't get me wrong. I think he's a decent guy but there's certain amount of risk here.
This seller has 100% rating and he has sold other Apple products before. I have asked him more detail about the Applecare and he has replied me with this.
"hi there mate. you have NOTHING to worry about. i have sold an
applecare before, if it helps, check my profile feedback. Once
again to clarify, the box at the moment is NEW and SEALED. i
will have to slice the top and record down the actual enollment
number though, as i will get scammed. you could very easily
post on ebay that the enrolment number had already been
registered, and request a refund, in which as your proof you
supply your mates applecare number, which had been registered
before, and seeing as how the box is sealed i will never know to
prove otherwise. And you get a refund and an applecare free of
charge. However, if i record the number down, and an incident
like this occurs, i will have the registration date and details of
the person (which would be you or a spouce of) and you wont
get a refund and scam me in return ! Believe me this works. its a
security and safety measure for both me and you. No receipt will
be issued with this. Apple care number CAN NOT be faulty. Also,
there is a no refund policy with apple with applecare's anyway. A
receipt will be no good to you. If it is for tax purposes, you can
simply use your paypal invoice. I have done that before many
times. This was initially a gift to me from someone who knew i
had just recently bought a Macbook Pro, but i dont think i will
be needing it at all. Let me know if i have answered your
questions, any more queries please dont hesitate to ask."
However, at the end of the day, if there's any dispute, he will say I have already opened the box and cannot return it. (He doesn't accept returns according to his advertisements). If I insist that I haven't use the number in the box, I guess I won't be able to prove that. So I need to pass this purchase I guess. What a shame...
Don't get me wrong. I think he's a decent guy but there's certain amount of risk here.
So all the AC he's been selling have been gifts?
To the poster who is concerned about this - PayPal has a 45 day limit for disputes - check with your credit card company about their dispute limits as well. You cannot file a chargeback/dispute once a certain period has passed - keep this in mind.Applecare on eBay
Thank you for the information, i have wondered about those ebay deals.
Thank you for the information, i have wondered about those ebay deals.
Am I safe?
Hey guys, I too bought applecare on ebay. Three in fact. I got them emailed to me and registered it. Seconds after, I got a confirmation after completing the registration of the codes. I got two for me and my sister's 15" MBP and for my apple 24-inch display. Here are the sellers: project_7297, quackquack2001, and macman812. I also bought mobileme from lgeoo but he sent me the box in the shrink wrap unopened and it registered perfectly within seconds also and it shows on my mobileme account that my trial ends in november 24 and my subscription will kick in after.
Does anyone have any knowledge of the first three applecare sellers from ebay? I've heard Macman812 is a legit seller is this right? What about the others? So I've read in these posts, is buying directly from amazon.com 100% legit with no risks?
Hey guys, I too bought applecare on ebay. Three in fact. I got them emailed to me and registered it. Seconds after, I got a confirmation after completing the registration of the codes. I got two for me and my sister's 15" MBP and for my apple 24-inch display. Here are the sellers: project_7297, quackquack2001, and macman812. I also bought mobileme from lgeoo but he sent me the box in the shrink wrap unopened and it registered perfectly within seconds also and it shows on my mobileme account that my trial ends in november 24 and my subscription will kick in after.
Does anyone have any knowledge of the first three applecare sellers from ebay? I've heard Macman812 is a legit seller is this right? What about the others? So I've read in these posts, is buying directly from amazon.com 100% legit with no risks?
MacMan has posted in this very thread, pages back however.
MacMan has stated he DOESN NOT SENT THE BOX. Just the code. Why? Why not send the box?
Also, the guy who just bought AC from the guy in Australia and got that response, why does he need to open it? You order AC from apple.com, the don't open it, and then mail it to you?
And just because you register it, and it says registered now, doesn't mean that sometime down the road, someone buys the real AC (in the box), registers it, and then has the proof to prove he bought the real AC. Having the Box (and receipt from a legit retailer, authorized at that) and serial on print is as good as gold. People have posted on here that Apple sometimes will ask for the AC box for verification.... ME, as I have said time and time again in this thread, I'll pay the extra $80 ($239 from apple.com via de discount) for a legit copy from straight from Apple.
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