We’ve heard plenty of scams involving Apple’s coveted iOS devices before, but this one may take the cake. Could you imagine walking into your local Best Buy, buying a $500 iPad, then taking it home to find that you actually purchased a slab of model clay instead?
As many as 10 clay iPads have been sold in their original packaging at Future Shop and Best Buy stores in Vancouver, Canada.
According to Future Shop, scam artists bought multiple iPads with cash, replaced said tablets with slabs of clay, and resealed them inside their original boxes. The clay iPads were then returned to the stores and placed back on the shelves for other customers. Multiple people have already been duped by the hoax.
CTV News reports:
Mark Sandhu thought he had bought a $620 iPad 2 for his wife, Sundeep, for Christmas. Instead they both got an unpleasant surprise when she unwrapped the present.
“I look at him and I’m kind of in shock, ‘Like what — is this a joke?” Sundeep Randhawa recalled.
Future Shop and Best Buy have launched a fraud investigation in the Metro Vancouver area in an attempt to find the devious pottery enthusiasts.
Alex Heath is a journalist who works for Tech Insider. He’s the former co-host of The CultCast. He has been quoted by the likes of the BBC, KRON 4 News, and books like “ICONIC: A Photographic Tribute to Apple Innovation.” He lives in Lexington, Kentucky. If you want to pitch a story, share a tip, or just get in touch, additional contact information is available on his personal site. Follow him on Twitter.
