A woman in China thought she was buying a real iPhone 6s at a bargain price, but in fact got tricked into spending quite a lot for a cheap replica.
Instead of the cool iPhone 6s she was dreaming about, the woman actually purchased a fake iPhone that didn't even copy the iPhone logo - where the iconic apple should have been, the knockoff has a pear.
This "pearPhone" cost the woman nearly $1,300, albeit that was not what she initially agreed to.
The woman named Zhao agreed to buy the alleged iPhone 6s for the bargain price of 3,400 yuan, which would translate to roughly $525.50. The woman thought it was a steal at that price, considering that the iPhone 6s normally costs roughly 5,288 yuan (around $817).
However, the scammer didn't settle just for that initial amount. The dealer, going by the name "Hong Kong iPhone direct sale," then contacted the woman and asked for more money. Arguing that the purported iPhone 6s was stuck at Chinese customs, the seller asked Zhao to shell out an additional 5,000 yuan (roughly $773), with the promise that she'll get that sum refunded later.
The woman eventually agreed, so she ended up paying a grand total of 8,400 yuan (roughly $1,298). Unfortunately, yet another unpleasant surprise awaited the gullible buyer.
Instead of a shiny new rose gold iPhone 6s, Zhao received a black smartphone with a pear logo on its back, where the Apple logo should've been.
"When she excitedly opened the box, a disappointed Ms. Zhao from Wuxi city was brought to tears, she had already lost her money and was left with a pear instead of an apple," UK publication Daily Mail reports.
The conned woman immediately attempted to contact the seller who screwed her over, but to no avail. The scammer had blacklisted her and was no longer available for contact after the deal went through.
Counterfeit Apple goods in China, however, are hardly news anymore. Entire fake Apple Stores in the country continue to flourish due to the huge iPhone hype, and counterfeit iDevices are not out of the ordinary either.
There's a huge pool of iPhone replicas in China, and plenty of unsuspecting customers fall prey to such scams. To avoid paying a small fortune for a cheap knockoff with a pear logo or whatnot, make sure you buy from a real Apple Store or an authorized reseller. Otherwise, if you're fine with a replica instead of the real deal, at least make sure you have all the facts, are fully aware that it's a fake and get it at a dirt-cheap price.
pearPhones, anyone?
