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"This is correct. The box has the serial number and what product it is for (MB588LL/A in my case) and inside the box, there is the tech tools dvd, a 47 page guide, and a separate carboardish paper that has the web registration instructions with a sticker on the bottom right hand side with the registration number. I believe you need both numbers, but i cannot remember for sure."

In that case, my earlier posting - which was denigrated by "lovemacs" - is correct, and lovemacs is WRONG.

He is wrong because the actual "serial number" of the AppleCare product sold - and the one thing that makes it unique and distinguishes it from all other boxes of the same product on the shelf - is the SERIAL NUMBER, which - AGAIN - appears on the OUTSIDE OF THE BOX, and NOWHERE ELSE.

But let's go beyond this argument.

If the INSIDE of the box has "web registration instructions with a sticker on the bottom right hand side with the registration number", and even if you don't need the serial number from the outside - why won't the seller send you the simple, thin, piece of paper with the registration number on it?

Again, this paper serves as PROOF OF PURCHASE and verifies that you - the claimed owner of the policy - are actually in possession of the paperwork and registration number from which the policy emanates.

WHY WON'T THEY SEND YOU THIS?

Simple:
Because they don't HAVE IT, and never did.

The numbers are fake.

One question, Fish. Have you personally ever purchased AppleCare?
 
lol you're just loving this huh. :D

I just think it's funny that he types with such authority on the subject, but he's never actually purchased it himself. If he had, he would know that the agreement number is on the inside of the box (I'm still laughing about that post, on the inside).
 
I'd still like to see some hard proof that anything in that article is real. It's too far fetched that there is an AppleCare number generator out there. There have been reports from Apple that whoever has developed such a thing would need access to their database, which isn't possible. If there are any Apple reps reading this thread, what is your input?
 
Let's remember who is getting scammed here - the buyers of AC, not Apple. Apple has no financial reason to track down the fraudulent AC sellers - the only thing they have to do is refuse to cover an item and put the proof of purchase on the individual trying to make the claim.

An individual buying a fraudulent code has only 60 days to make a claim against the code seller (via paypal/ebay). In most cases, the person who was scammed doesn't discover the scam until long after the claim period.

Er Apple are getting scammed here...

They are paying out to fix old products under applecare, when they have never recieved a penny towards the cost of that applecare policy.
 
The other thing I've noticed, a few of you are happy to say the codes are genuine, if this is the case, how are they able to sell them for less than apples wholesale price? Please don't give me a story about bankrupt stock.
 
I have read that IT departments can buy these in bulk (300 - 400 at a time), delivered electronically by Apple for their clients, and they in turn sell them in bulk. A handful of these could supply all of the digital AppleCare out there.

But you think we are really stupid here? Where have you read that and from what source? If they can buy 300-400 at a time to resell, why Apple does not offer its customers with the option to buy them at the price the reseller sells them and make the money? If John Nobody can buy 300-400 at a time, why is it that Best Buy or Circuit City o any of the big resellers cannot? If they buy directly in bluk from Apple to resell, why aren't they authorized resellers? Why when Apple ask for a proof of purchase in case of problems, they don't accept eBay confirmation page for that (actual case)? Why if boxes are not needed, some people have been asked for the serial number in the box as a proof of purchase in case of conflict?

One has to be really stupid to believe all that ********.
 
I just think it's funny that he types with such authority on the subject, but he's never actually purchased it himself. If he had, he would know that the agreement number is on the inside of the box (I'm still laughing about that post, on the inside).

You are an ignorant and brag about it too. There's an agreement number INSIDE THE BOX which you use to register and that is sent to you by the ilegal reseller and a serial number that is OUTSIDE OF THE BOX that you don't need for registration and you may never need BUT that may be asked by Apple in case of conflict to check that the serial no, correspond to the agreement no. If you bought it in eBay, you don't have that number (you might generate a fake code, but you're not generating two fake codes that match in Apple's database). Maybe you sell (I'm sure) this ilegal codes and that's why you don't know something so basic.
 
You are an ignorant and brag about it too. There's an agreement number INSIDE THE BOX which you use to register and that is sent to you by the ilegal reseller and a serial number that is OUTSIDE OF THE BOX that you don't need for registration and you may never need BUT that may be asked by Apple in case of conflict to check that the serial no, correspond to the agreement no. If you bought it in eBay, you don't have that number (you might generate a fake code, but you're not generating two fake codes that match in Apple's database). Maybe you sell (I'm sure) this ilegal codes and that's why you don't know something so basic.

I never said there wasn't a serial number on the outside of the box. Show a post where I said that if you disagree.
 
But you think we are really stupid here? Where have you read that and from what source? If they can buy 300-400 at a time to resell, why Apple does not offer its customers with the option to buy them at the price the reseller sells them and make the money? If John Nobody can buy 300-400 at a time, why is it that Best Buy or Circuit City o any of the big resellers cannot? If they buy directly in bluk from Apple to resell, why aren't they authorized resellers? Why when Apple ask for a proof of purchase in case of problems, they don't accept eBay confirmation page for that (actual case)? Why if boxes are not needed, some people have been asked for the serial number in the box as a proof of purchase in case of conflict?


My thoughts are that individuals can't buy in bulk because they are not IT departments in large companies. Make sense?

Apple won't accept eBay and Paypal receipts because they are not from Apple. For example, someone buys an AppleCare from Apple. They then sell it to person A on eBay. Person A then resells it to person B on eBay, who registers it to their Mac. There are now three people who have purchase receipts for the same AppleCare, two people who bought from eBay, and one person who bought from Apple. Which one do you think Apple would honor?

My guess is that whoever is buying these in bulk from Apple is reselling them to whoever wants to buy them, authorized reseller or not. There is money to be made in large volume, they don't necessarily have to mark it up very high.
 
My thoughts are that individuals can't buy in bulk because they are not IT departments in large companies. Make sense?

Apple won't accept eBay and Paypal receipts because they are not from Apple. For example, someone buys an AppleCare from Apple. They then sell it to person A on eBay. Person A then resells it to person B on eBay, who registers it to their Mac. There are now three people who have purchase receipts for the same AppleCare, two people who bought from eBay, and one person who bought from Apple. Which one do you think Apple would honor?

My guess is that whoever is buying these in bulk from Apple is reselling them to whoever wants to buy them, authorized reseller or not. There is money to be made in large volume, they don't necessarily have to mark it up very high.

Oh come of it, you know, we know, and you know that we know its a load of nonsense.
 
Oh come of it, you know, we know, and you know that we know its a load of nonsense.

The explanation as to why Apple doesn't accept eBay receipts is valid, as told to me by a representative in AppleCare Administration. He didn't seem to have a problem with eBay purchased AppleCare, by the way.

I'd like to see some proof from those who say there is a key generator out there. I've only been able to find evidence that it would be impossible to create a key generator.
 
Applecare on ebay ?

Hi guys,
I've seen many ebayers selling Applecare on ebay at a very low price ($100 off Apple Store).
What do you think about it ? Is it safe buying it ?
I've read about sellers who ship the Applecare serial only without the box.
Is there anyone who bought on ebay and then used it without problem with Apple ?
Please let me know your experiences.
Thanks !
 
The few times I've bought AC I've done so on eBay. No probs at all. All you need is the activation code. There is nothing useful in the box, its just a marketing gimmick to make you feel like you are buying something of tangible value.

That said do not buy from anyone who asks you for information. There was a scam operation in Hong Kong that was selling hacked me.com activations. They required you to email your me.com user name and password rather than just sending you the activation code.

Worse case, the code doesn't work and you dispute w/eBay. Never happened in my experience though. Just buy from someone who looks legit & you should be fine.
 
The few times I've bought AC I've done so on eBay. No probs at all. All you need is the activation code. There is nothing useful in the box, its just a marketing gimmick to make you feel like you are buying something of tangible value.

That said do not buy from anyone who asks you for information. There was a scam operation in Hong Kong that was selling hacked me.com activations. They required you to email your me.com user name and password rather than just sending you the activation code.

Worse case, the code doesn't work and you dispute w/eBay. Never happened in my experience though. Just buy from someone who looks legit & you should be fine.

Thanks for your reply !
I've read that problems could arise when your product fails and you need to use Applecare after several months from the subscription...
 
Thanks for your reply !
I've read that problems could arise when your product fails and you need to use Applecare after several months from the subscription...

I would advise against buying Applecare on ebay unless you can get the actual box & UPC from the seller. What I've read is that these guys selling AC on ebay will just email the code, then a couple weeks later they return the AC to apple for a pro-rated refund, essentially nullifying AC coverage on your laptop.

I was recently a victim of this, and didn't find out until I sold my MBP on craigslist. I tried transferring the AC I purchased on ebay to the new owner, and Apple told me they pretty much can't do anything without the UPC and original sales receipt, and that AC must be purchased from an authorized apple reseller in order to be transferable.
 
Thanks for your reply !
I've read that problems could arise when your product fails and you need to use Applecare after several months from the subscription...

Possibly. I doubt any boxless eBay AppleCares are legit because non of the resellers sell it like that and neither does Apple. There was a thread about AppleCare codes' protocol and that it's not very good one as it's easy to broke and that means fake codes like eBay ones. There is always something fishy in cheap things like eBay AppleCare, why would Apple sell boxless ACs for only eBay sellers?
 
Thanks for your reply !
I've read that problems could arise when your product fails and you need to use Applecare after several months from the subscription...

You have to ask yourself: Do i feel lucky?

You can't find negative response on e-bay, if/when you have a problem you have already left positive feedback to the seller.

And to all haters who don't wan't to see the problem, of all users who buy AC on e-bay there are perhaps 1% that are members here on MR to write about it and perhaps there are around a few percent of the buyers who will have to use their AC, because the computer never breaks for the rest of the buyers and the problem with revoked AC never gets known. I'm sure we only see the tip of the iceberg here.
 
I've merged lcaraffa's thread into the most recent thread on this topic. Honestly, this topic has been beaten to death repeatedly, which is why multiple threads with hundreds of posts have been closed over the past two or three years. I do encourage lcaraffa to go back and read some of these posts, as they're very enlightening....

Oh, good, thanks. That's why I gave him the link because I think there is no need to go through the same discussions over and over again :)
 
A slightly different question

I have been reading all the debate on Ebay sales of Applecare with great interest. So much so, that I am going to avoid buying from Ebay. I have found a place that will sell me Applecare for my new iMac (in the box) for $114. I cannot see where they are an authorized Apple reseller though. Should I be wary of this as well? I plan on calling them and asking directly if I would be getting the box. Another interesting thing I found is that Amazon IS an Authorized Apple reseller, but the Applecare they sell, comes to you from a Third-party reseller which is not itself an Authorized Apple reseller. Thoughts?
 
"I have found a place that will sell me Applecare for my new iMac (in the box) for $114. I cannot see where they are an authorized Apple reseller though. Should I be wary of this as well? I plan on calling them and asking directly if I would be getting the box. Another interesting thing I found is that Amazon IS an Authorized Apple reseller, but the Applecare they sell, comes to you from a Third-party reseller which is not itself an Authorized Apple reseller. Thoughts?"

I don't see any problem with this. So long as you get a box with the serial number on the outside, you should be fine.

Remember to KEEP the box and all the internal paperwork, as well as your sales invoice, in case you are ever asked to provide proof of purchase by Apple.

I've yet to see a post from anyone who bought AppleCare from amazon (either directly or through a reseller) having problems.

You might also try (in the USA) L.A. Computer Company:
http://www.lacomputercompany.com/cgi-bin/rpcart/featured.cgi?group=appcare
 
Thanks for the reply, and especially the link. I called the company that had the $114 price tag and asked if that comes in an unopened box. They asked me to hold and then came back saying that they no longer carry that product. Hmmmmmmmmmmm.
 
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