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iPhone 13 Pro Max Received 2 iPhone 13PM by mistake...Moral Dilemma
- Thread starter SB13PM
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You've done so much to fix Apple's mistake. If they said they'd send you return instructions - just wait. Why are you expending your own resources on this? They won't refund you your time or your expenses (travel to store and back) so why do it?
Remember Apple employees are Apple. They represent Apple. So if nobody at Apple is actively trying to help you here, it's not your fault. It's theirs.
You've done all that you can do. They know you have the phone, they have your info and they failed to act on it.
From now on its not your problem.
From now on its not your problem.
I did not mean to imply that you were attempting to steal the first replacement iPhone. It was more of a general statement, not aimed directly at you.
Interesting. Thanks for the update.
The basic facts are that you have paid for one phone and you are using that phone.
Apple have sent you another, they are expecting it back, so now the only actual outstanding "mistake" is that you haven't received the return label. The phone is still Apple's but is currently in your possession.
Unless Apple specifically says "you can keep it", you can't.
Apple have sent you another, they are expecting it back, so now the only actual outstanding "mistake" is that you haven't received the return label. The phone is still Apple's but is currently in your possession.
Unless Apple specifically says "you can keep it", you can't.
If you have Apple care only one of them will be registered with the serial number make sure you return the correct one this happen to me also 2 years ago..we returned the one that wasn’t registered and Apple told us eventually they will figure out what happen and they said they would have charged us for second phone if we didn’t return it.. just an FYI
Apple is a trillion dollar stupendous megacorporation. The scummy money whoring insurance provider who's going to ultimately cover for this event is just that also. You are a infintesimal insignificant grain of sand in comparison to them, hence why they don't give a ****. They don't care about you. You have no personal relationship with them. They're not your neighbour. They're not your friend. They're not a small family run local business. They will not reward you for your act of 'morality'. You are nobody to them. They care about themselves and their bank balance only. AS SHOULD YOU. Returning the phone will do nothing for them, but will make you a grand less off. You've already put more effort than you should have into trying to give this phone back, and they have demonstrated on multiple occasions that they don't care. SO WHY DO YOU CARE!? DON'T WASTE ANY MORE OF YOUR TIME OR MONEY.
If they don't request it within a few more days, keep it, sell it, whatever. You've tried to give the phone back on several occasions already, and they've refused, you have no legal or moral obligation to give it back to them, (and you didn't in the first place).
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Cause at some point Apple may care and want it back. If he sold it or gave it to someone, he or that person could end up in trouble.
Op... If someone at Apple finally does want it back. Make sure you get some documentation that you gave it up. Document all the calls and Apple store conversations with dates, names, what was said... just to be on the safe side.
This finders-keepers logic doesn't work in the real world. No one is arguing that Apple needs the money. The phone has a serial number and will be tied to the OP somewhere in Apple's system. At some point, they'll be able to see that both phones they sent out are activated and one of them was not paid for. Maybe they won't care, but I think we both know Apple doesn't let pennies slide. They'll block one of the phones (likely the first one, the one OP is currently using) or simply charge OP's card.
The simpler, far less likely to be painful thing to do is make a 2 minute phone call to Apple, ask to be escalated to a manager and explain the situation, then put the phone in a drawer and wait for a return label to arrive. And hey, maybe after explaining everything Apple will tell them they can keep it, but I wouldn't count on it.
If it hasn’t been deactivated after a couple more weeks, then it never will be I think. He can’t be done for it since he’s already made a more than valiant attempt at returning it which is documented in his emails and on their systems.
Edit:
After reading the chat properly.
True. I’d activate it with another Apple ID then wait it out for a few weeks to see if anything arises. Then I’d be reasonably comfortable with selling it afterwards.
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I didn't see it touched on in the first page of replies so I'll chime in with these 2 thoughts:
1) Apple (or the shipper) likely placed a insurance claim on the lost parcel. If this was done, it's also likely that the IMEI of the lost phone was placed on a "do not activate" list. Now the rightful owner of the phone (the insurer at this point) can go thru the motions of having it removed, but the way the process works is the phone is rendered bricked until and unless the device is recovered and reported as such by the rightful owner.
2) In the US at least, if a parcel is delivered to the wrong address, or the wrong shipment was sent to the correct address, the shipping party can ask for the items back, but they can't demand or compel you to do so. So most companies will typically not bother with trying to process returns of mis-shipped product, at least on small-ticket items. If you do approach a company about something like this, they typically will tell you to either keep or donate it.
All this is to say that I don't think it's a moral failing to keep something that was mis-shipped to you, as long as there was no collusion for fraud and you made a good faith effort to return it. However, I wouldn't expect the phone to work or be disappointed if it did turn out to be bricked by IMEI blacklisting.
1) Apple (or the shipper) likely placed a insurance claim on the lost parcel. If this was done, it's also likely that the IMEI of the lost phone was placed on a "do not activate" list. Now the rightful owner of the phone (the insurer at this point) can go thru the motions of having it removed, but the way the process works is the phone is rendered bricked until and unless the device is recovered and reported as such by the rightful owner.
2) In the US at least, if a parcel is delivered to the wrong address, or the wrong shipment was sent to the correct address, the shipping party can ask for the items back, but they can't demand or compel you to do so. So most companies will typically not bother with trying to process returns of mis-shipped product, at least on small-ticket items. If you do approach a company about something like this, they typically will tell you to either keep or donate it.
All this is to say that I don't think it's a moral failing to keep something that was mis-shipped to you, as long as there was no collusion for fraud and you made a good faith effort to return it. However, I wouldn't expect the phone to work or be disappointed if it did turn out to be bricked by IMEI blacklisting.
OP activated the lost phone once he received it. Sounds like it’s been working for a while already. Not blocked. Hasn’t activated replacement phone, but why would Apple have blocked that one?
hahah all the comments here are too funny.
"It takes 2 minutes to make a phone call to Apple"
- Really? Anytime I have a small question it's been a massive pain just trying to get them on the phone. God forbid if I wasn't contacting them for a device my Apple ID wasn't tied to. They already seem to have forwarded OP back and forth.
"Send it back to them"
- To what address? OP doesn't have a return label or any instructions. It'll probably be returned if trying that.
"Take it back to store"
- Pretty much anytime I've been to an Apple store, if I didn't buy it from the store directly, they are clueless and tell me to call support. OP faced same situation.
"Selling is stealing, keep it in your drawer in case yours breaks."
- What? Just think about this more carefully. That's still "stealing" by that same definition. Plus, everyday it sits unused the value diminishes and it becomes closer and closer to becoming e-waste. Selling the extra phone and buying apple-care if you need phone insurance seems more morally right in this case.
I'm not sure what the rest of your lives are like, but at some point, the amount of time invested to try to "do the right thing" becomes not worth it. If Apple cannot figure out what to do with it and do not seem terribly fussed about it, at a bare minimum give it away to someone in need, especially during holidays (might be good to activate and use for a bit to check if it will be blacklisted).
"It takes 2 minutes to make a phone call to Apple"
- Really? Anytime I have a small question it's been a massive pain just trying to get them on the phone. God forbid if I wasn't contacting them for a device my Apple ID wasn't tied to. They already seem to have forwarded OP back and forth.
"Send it back to them"
- To what address? OP doesn't have a return label or any instructions. It'll probably be returned if trying that.
"Take it back to store"
- Pretty much anytime I've been to an Apple store, if I didn't buy it from the store directly, they are clueless and tell me to call support. OP faced same situation.
"Selling is stealing, keep it in your drawer in case yours breaks."
- What? Just think about this more carefully. That's still "stealing" by that same definition. Plus, everyday it sits unused the value diminishes and it becomes closer and closer to becoming e-waste. Selling the extra phone and buying apple-care if you need phone insurance seems more morally right in this case.
I'm not sure what the rest of your lives are like, but at some point, the amount of time invested to try to "do the right thing" becomes not worth it. If Apple cannot figure out what to do with it and do not seem terribly fussed about it, at a bare minimum give it away to someone in need, especially during holidays (might be good to activate and use for a bit to check if it will be blacklisted).
Return it if you can bro, it doesn't belong to you. What if someone ordered and didn't receive it yet!
And what do think will happen there?
Random iPhone they can't put into the system without major hassle. My guess is that they will just shove into storage and forget about it for the next 10 years.
All the while OP might be contacted with a delayed return sticker and only has a sketchy receipt to proove he gave it back.
-> put it in a drawer, contact Apple in a few weeks and if nothing happens forget about it
It isn’t anyone else’s order. If someone is missing an iPhone order they can call Apple and get it sorted out. Not the OP’s problem.
Amazed by the arguments here. The op called Apple, went to a store and they didn’t know what do with it, and they haven’t sent him a return label. What else would you like the OP todo do.
Because the Apple rep said someone from returns department will contact you, I would not think you got a free phone. Everything is slow right now with product and labor shortages. Me personally I would not rush to find a way to return it but I would continue to find a way until I do. I would worry about this bitting me in the butt at a later point all because I was trying to make a profit off of something I didn't pay for. But thats me personally.
Contacting them again to say “Hey, I still haven’t reviewed the return label you said you would send. Send it or I’m keeping the phone” doesn’t seem unreasonable. This is more to cover the OP’s ass than it is to help Apple.
did you miss the par when he went to an Apple Store and they couldn't help? The OP is not responsible for the employee incompetence to create the report label. So he should spend his dialing relentlessly to Apple support center until Apple finally decides to get their sh*t together and send the label.
He notified them. Apple are professional and need to be accountable. If they don't do it, tough luck, as simple as that.
I would send it back as it is an error and the phone is not yours. Go through the same channel as you ordered it. Going to a store is difficult as they don't know what to do with the phone.
Several years ago I ordered an iMac from Apple and UPS delivered 2 at the same time. I contacted Apple by phone about the error, they greatly appreciated my honesty and gave me a $50 Apple store credit. Dropped the box off at UPS and received the credit shortly after.
Several years ago I ordered an iMac from Apple and UPS delivered 2 at the same time. I contacted Apple by phone about the error, they greatly appreciated my honesty and gave me a $50 Apple store credit. Dropped the box off at UPS and received the credit shortly after.
put your sim in the extra, if it works then sell the one you have been using as you know that one works.
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People think “karma” gives a damn about a stupid phone? The guy isn’t committing murder or stealing in actuality. He did what’s right. Keep the phone.
I didn't. I never said he should go to an Apple Store because I doubt that Apple Store employees are all that competent, I've always said he should just call them. One phone call, escalate to a manager, explain the situation, wait for return label—it's not that hard. I'm just trying to make sure OP doesn't end up getting charged for a phone he didn't order.