And nobody knows exactly how this was actually possible

May 14, 2021 19:15 GMT  ·  By

iPhone 12 Pro Max is the most expensive version of the new-generation model, so needless to say, you wouldn’t normally expect to spend more than $1,000 on the smartphone and find a cracked tile in the box.

This is exactly what happened to an Apple customer who purchased an iPhone 12 Pro Max from Virgin Media.

Olivia Parkinson took to Twitter to reveal that instead of an iPhone 12 Pro Max, what she received was a cracked tile, despite the box actually coming sealed with no visible signs of tears.

Needless to say, both Yodel, the company that was in charge of the shipping, and Virgin Media started investigations, though the latter originally said it needed to determine who was liable for the whole thing.

Yodel explained from the very beginning that the parcel was sealed in the original packaging, so in theory, the selling company was the one that had to further investigate the case.

Always check the box

While it’s still not clear how the iPhone 12 Pro Max was replaced with a cracked title, Virgin Media eventually acknowledged the incident and said the customer would be refunded.

“Our investigation found Olivia was the victim of a fraud, so we have closed the account, written off the outstanding balance, and will be returning all of the money she paid,” the company reportedly said.

Needless to say, customers should always double-check if the iPhone they received is perfectly sealed, as scammers have found clever ways to replace the smartphone with all kinds of objects without damaging the box. Of course, buying directly from Apple or authorized retailers is often the best way to go, as all boxes are closely inspecting so you’re therefore certain that what you’re getting is the iPhone you ordered.