In a disappointing development, Supreme Court lawyer Mukul P Unni found that he was duped of Rs 38,000 after ordering an iPhone 15 from Amazon. The incident happened when Unni decided to upgrade his iPhone 13 through an exchange offer on Amazon. The order was placed on July 21, 2024 and the delivery executive arrived at his home the next evening at around 9:30 pm.

Unni detailed this disturbing experience in a series of tweets, shedding light on the scam. After the delivery executive handed over the new iPhone 15 and Unni provided the required OTP, he handed over his old iPhone 13. Surprisingly, the executive then demanded another OTP, claiming it was required for the exchange process. Unni, shocked, said he had no additional OTP to provide.

The delivery executive was unable to proceed, so he approached his supervisor. Supervisor Ashok explained that the exchange process required a different team and requested Unni to return the new iPhone, assuring him that another attempt would be made the next day. Despite his doubts, after much insistence and assurance from Ashok, Unni returned the new phone to the delivery executive Vishal, while keeping both their contact numbers with him.

The next day, Unni contacted Amazon’s customer care to report the incident. He was assured that a refund would be initiated if the product was not delivered. However, when he contacted them on July 26, he was told that he would have to wait till July 31 as the matter was under investigation.

The frustration reached a boiling point when on July 31, Amazon told Unni that the investigation was complete and a refund could not be processed. It appears that no concrete fact-finding was done, causing Unni significant financial losses. He expressed his disbelief on Twitter, stating that he still had the old phone, refuting any claims that the exchange had been completed.

To complicate matters further, Ashok called Unni and asked him to go to a particular place and hand over his existing phone, promising that the new product would be delivered within 24 hours. Sensing a possible fraud, Unni refused.

Unni’s ordeal highlights the vulnerabilities that customers face, even when using reputable platforms such as Amazon. The incident has raised concerns about the reliability of exchange offers and the accountability of delivery personnel. While Unni is seeking justice and reimbursement, his experience is a cautionary tale for others to be cautious and careful when transacting online. The case underlines the need for more stringent measures and transparency in handling such disputes to prevent consumers from falling prey to fraud.