Even if Royal Mail is to blame apple still shares responsibility IMO. Apple is the one with the shipping agreement with Royal Mail. Apple should be even more responsible if their agreement is for a shipping type that isn't covered, but I would bet Apple has agreement for how loss is handles as well.
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iPhone 4S goes for repair.. back comes an iPhone 4
- Thread starter RadioactivePaul
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Royal Mail is full of thieves......would not be surprising if one of their lot took it. I used to manage a bar where everyday a group of 6 royal mail employees came in, and my staff and I would overhear them talking about what they "found" and who they would sell it too...ok, not all of RM are nasty, but look at the state of the people who work for it. In the end, I barred them after one tried to steal the iPod behind the bar....just a story. Hope you get the situation resolved!
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Crappy broken AT&T iPhone off eBay + packaging switcharoo = iPhone 4s = profit.
If there was an empty box, people would be suspicious.
Yes it's common place. Now with people sending clearly marked packages like cash for gold, Mazuma mobile and others it's like a playground for people to steal high value items. My advice is always send a valuable item Special Delivery and always pay for the insurance they offer to the maximum value.
They also throw packages around like footballs for fun!!
If someone stole your phone i don't know why they would replace it with another phone in the box so clearly it must be at Apples end.
Thanks a lot!
I've been asked to fill out the following form by a lovely lady from Royal Mails Chief Executive office after she was appointed by Moya Greene: ftp://ftp.royalmail.com/Downloads/public/ctf/rm/Inland_P58_form_English.pdf
There's hundreds a day and that was just in the Manchester office so don't expect any special treatment. I really feel sorry for you because they are c***s.
Hi Apple
Such a shame.
I have sent a PM of two more people to contact about this.
Thanks to everyone for forwarding me contacts like the guy above, seems Margaret is the only one that can deal with the case because either:
a) they don't reply or b) Margaret informs me "As owner of your case, I am solely responsible for the handling of this issue"
a) they don't reply or b) Margaret informs me "As owner of your case, I am solely responsible for the handling of this issue"
This is radical,but as Royal Mail worker I'm afraid you cannot do anything, somebody was very cleaver to replace the phone inside package, and by this way all the blame is on you because Apple will said -we receive iPhone 4, Royal Mail will said that package has been delivered.Was a prepaid package Special Delivery? If not you should put all blame on the Apple, they are responsible for which service they using and how safe it is.The problem is you don't have actually proof that iPhone 4s was in the package, and even if they give you new phone, this will make opportunity for some doggy people to start sending used phones and claim that new has been send.So it is very complicated case, as for the form which they ask you to fill don't even bother-it will take months, Royal mail only refunds Special Deliveries .Unfortunately this is how delivery system works in this country.
Jeezo mate, sounds like more hassle than it's worth, sorry to hear someone go through this much bother over a phone, especially on top of other personal circumstances.
First off, chin up.
Secondly, did you receive the 4S box back from Apple that had the AT&T iPhone 4 inside? It's a shame you couldn't get to a local store instead of going via the online returns system. As you know you wouldn't have needed a receipt, as they just scan the serial number and make sure it's under 12 months old before replacing it at the Genius Bar.
To our American friends here, you have NO idea how shifty and dodgy Royal Mail are. Things are stolen all the time, and even Special Delivery is no guarantee of safety because the thief does what they wish and leave you with the claim and hassle of it all.
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Surely it's far more responsible for Apple to point the finger at a crooked organisation (and I'm sorry, Royal Mail are exactly that), than insinuate that a customer from the UK went through the hassle of getting an iPhone 4S box and putting a beat up AMERICAN iPhone 4, of half the capacity, into said box and chancing a return?
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Yeah, good shout. Does the iTunes back up not mention, in any way, the UDID or IMEI number of the device that was synced? It must be in the code somewhere, even if not accessible at end user level.
i had a recorded special delivery sent to me last year, it was a card with a grand in it, i recieved it ripped to pieces, and selotaped back together, i complained to royal mail because this was recorded, after 4 months of fighting them to find out who did this they sent me an apology letter and offered me £40 compensation, i phoned up spoke to some guy and told him to go EFF himself with it, you'l never see your phone again and no one will ever believe you, if you want to send something properly you need to use UPS, who have never failed me, or you could use another special delivery company
Sadly not, it was sent off in the little AppleCare box they provided in their prepaid grey bag!
Again, if apple is the one who drove the use of Royal Mail in this exchange then they need to share responsibility. Especially if they didn't insure it.
It was their shipment, not yours, correct?
Correct sir, no other way it could be mailed to them other than their prepaid service with Royal Mail.
They should be providing an adequate level of cover with their pre-pay postage then. Anything less than Special Delivery is utterly irresponsible on their part, even though as I said, thieves in the Royal Mail just take want they want from Special Delivery packages and leave the consumer with the hassle of the claim.
I'd keep pressing Apple as well until you find someone to help you. Who did you originally purchase the 4 from?. If it was Apple I might be inclined to dispute the original CC charge if they don't come through for you.
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No delivery system is free of theft. In the US, there have been cases of UPS and Fedex employees steeling 4S's as well, but in most cases they have been busted.
Paul, next time, use the express service option. They actually use UPS. I went with the standard service not that long ago and was shocked to see that I ended up sending a grey bag via Royal Mail with minimal tracking, and little or no insurance.
What I did, however, was to place anti-tamper tape on it. (http://www.apetape.co.uk/ecom-catshow/tamper-evident-tape.html) only £13 per roll, worth it in this case IMO. Just sending it via UPS to Apple, might not be sufficient, the delivery tag has case info on it (maybe it could be placed in the UPS bag/box?)
What I did, however, was to place anti-tamper tape on it. (http://www.apetape.co.uk/ecom-catshow/tamper-evident-tape.html) only £13 per roll, worth it in this case IMO. Just sending it via UPS to Apple, might not be sufficient, the delivery tag has case info on it (maybe it could be placed in the UPS bag/box?)
You have to understand that Apple send him pre-paid package , so he has to use this package provided by them. Is funny but in the past they been using only UPS.Thats why I buy everything from Apple in Apple store and if there is some problem I come back to the same store.
This is all getting silly now. Regardless of who's fault this is Apple should just give the OP a new iPhone 4S as a goodwill gesture and maybe some other form of compensation. Considering how good their customer service normally is I'm really surprised they aren't doing this. Apple is a huge company and it's hardly going to break the bank for them. It's the least they can do.
That is a hilarious theory.
Really, it is hilarious.
Let me reformulate it for you.
1) Buy a crappy AT&T iphone off ebay
2a) Replace a phone going into Apple for servicing with your crappy AT&T iphone
2b) Use your ESP to realize that the phone belongs to someone who didn't buy it at an Apple store so when you bring it in to fix whatever problem it is being serviced for, Apple will fix your stolen phone
2c) Hope that the introduction of the non UK-iPhone (AT&T) isn't suspicious enough to trigger more of an investigation when compared to just stealing the contents of the box
3) PROFIT!!!!!
Seriously. A scheme only becomes this convoluted when it is in a movie.
I don't know if OP is telling the truth but I highly doubt it. I am very troubled by the constant mention of bereavement, is it just to gain sympathy?
I expect to be emotionally bashed by OP and other posts but i don't care. In my day job I am in a position to deal with fraud and this story just makes me uneasy.
There's certain suspicions that, even if you have them, should really be kept to yourself.
If it was a lie, why bother telling MacRumors forums? You'd just get on with it would you not?