I work in a Phone repair store, are we being scammed?

[FlpDaMattress]

I work in a repair center that is not apple certified. We have never had any connections to Apple and as of now, never will. We got 4 of these docks in the mail today all of which don't work. (tested with two of our old loaner phones) no return address. Each box had a dock and piece of paper which I'm confident isn't legit. Our shop is in Texas if it means anything.

(shipped like this with the paper folded on top of it) 

[Crunchy Dragon]

If your store isn't associated with Apple in any way, then a scam seems like a reasonable conclusion to me.

[nick name]

What are you asking here?  Being scammed in what way?  

[FlpDaMattress]

Just now, nick name said:

What are you asking here?  Being scammed in what way?  

Tbh I don't know. This is just the forum I'm most active in. Hence why it's in General Discussion. 

 

We didn't pay anything and they all don't work. I'll open them up for yall

[Tristerin]

TBH this legit made me laugh - because I just had to do new training on cyber warfare and one of the things is getting stuff like this and NEVER PLUGGING IT INTO YOUR DEVICES UNTIL YOU ARE CERTAIN YOU KNOW WHAT IT IS.

 

They also stuff tiny PCB's between cardboard folds (cell phone PCB for example) to get ping data etc etc.

[nick name]

1 minute ago, FlpDaMattress said:

Tbh I don't know. This is just the forum I'm most active in. Hence why it's in General Discussion. 

 

We didn't pay anything and they all don't work. I'll open them up for yall

Sorry, that doesn't really answer it for me.  Is the answer I'm looking for in that letter that came with them?  Lemme read that letter real quick.  

[Tristerin]

Just now, nick name said:

Sorry, that doesn't really answer it for me.  Is the answer I'm looking for in that letter that came with them?  Lemme read that letter real quick.  

I think he is saying they received these packages and aren't sure why as they never asked for these replacements.  That tells me that either he and his store are being targeted (potentially) or its just a wrong shipment.  I sure as hell wouldn't plug my iPhone into it, pretends its potentially a card reader spliced into a gas pump.

[nick name]

@FlpDaMattress Does anyone else in the shop have any idea why the shop received those?

[nick name]

If they don't work then I think your shop should try to fix them.  That would be funny.  

[FlpDaMattress]

Just now, nick name said:

If they don't work then I think your shop should try to fix them.  That would be funny.  

Decided to open one up. Looks legit 

 

Finally a scam dock for our fake iPhone! (had this one in store for a few months now. No way we'd ever get rid of it)

[nick name]

4 minutes ago, Tristerin said:

I think he is saying they received these packages and aren't sure why as they never asked for these replacements.  That tells me that either he and his store are being targeted (potentially) or its just a wrong shipment.  I sure as hell wouldn't plug my iPhone into it, pretends its potentially a card reader spliced into a gas pump.

I understood that part, but didn't understand what made him think it was a scam as I couldn't tell if they were asking for anything.  Reading the letter that came with it doesn't give me much more info either and since I have never seen one I can't really tell if it's legit or not.  Though OP says they're not.  

 

So your theory seems to be the best one so far.  Send docks that should work but don't look like they do.  Try several devices on several docks and collect whatever data they're after from those devices.  I mean -- I'd probably try more than one device on each dock and since they're a repair shop they're surely going to have several devices available.  

 

 

[nick name]

2 minutes ago, FlpDaMattress said:

Decided to open one up. Looks legit 

 

 

 

 

Finally a scam dock for our fake iPhone! (had this one in store for a few months now. No way we'd ever get rid of it)

 

Wait, so looks legit?  Or looks legit, but not legit?  

[FlpDaMattress]

11 minutes ago, Tristerin said:

TBH this legit made me laugh - because I just had to do new training on cyber warfare and one of the things is getting stuff like this and NEVER PLUGGING IT INTO YOUR DEVICES UNTIL YOU ARE CERTAIN YOU KNOW WHAT IT IS.

 

They also stuff tiny PCB's between cardboard folds (cell phone PCB for example) to get ping data etc etc.

Which is exactly why I used loaner phones that get factory reset every few weeks. We usually give out Androids. 

[Tristerin]

1 minute ago, FlpDaMattress said:

Which is exactly why I used loaner phones that get factory reset every few weeks. We usually give out Androids. 

Smart man.  Now see whats been changed on those phones Id crack one of those open too if its possible and see if anything looks suspect.  Highly unlikely but your store could be a "test pilot" - scammers are getting good these days.  My work training recently was about getting a package that wasn't expected and the newest trick is hiding a cell phone PCB between cardboard layers which can map out the wireless access points, and anything it can ping off of to get understanding of the layout of the building, wifi, etc etc etc.

[nick name]

1 minute ago, FlpDaMattress said:

Which is exactly why I used loaner phones that get factory reset every few weeks. We usually give out Androids. 

Were they trying to get device IDs to clone devices?  And not personal data?

[FlpDaMattress]

5 minutes ago, nick name said:

Were they trying to get device IDs to clone devices?  And not personal data?

No idea, tried another lightning cable and they're all working just fine. Comparing to the ifixit teardown they're legit.

[nick name]

I'm gonna laugh if the boss comes in asking for her new docks and you sheepishly give her a pile of components.  

[FlpDaMattress]

7 minutes ago, Tristerin said:

Smart man.  Now see whats been changed on those phones Id crack one of those open too if its possible and see if anything looks suspect.  Highly unlikely but your store could be a "test pilot" - scammers are getting good these days.  My work training recently was about getting a package that wasn't expected and the newest trick is hiding a cell phone PCB between cardboard layers which can map out the wireless access points, and anything it can ping off of to get understanding of the layout of the building, wifi, etc etc etc.

That's kinda cool actually. The red phone is fake. We just keep it around for the novelty and to trick new trainees. This store phone is about at the end of its life, dock connector and battery are both passed it. 

[FlpDaMattress]

Sonic welds are original and no Flux on the board. Probably some kind of mailing scam rather than some kind of psiphon. 

[nick name]

7 minutes ago, FlpDaMattress said:

Sonic welds are original and no Flux on the board. Probably some kind of mailing scam rather than some kind of psiphon. 

 

Hmmm, maybe it's not a scam, but a prank.  Perhaps they're just trying to make you paranoid.  

[kpluck]

So, the fact that the letter repeatedly references an "iPod"  doesn't raise any red flags with anyone? LOL

 

-kp

[NumLock21]

Those Apple Lightning dock is suppose to be all white, not grey with a white base surrounding the connector.

Also on the letter top right, it says BEAR License

[PlayStation 2]

I think the more suspicious thing that caught my eye was no return address and the phone number for Chinese customers. Why in the FUCK would you get paperwork that'd have American and Chinese phone numbers "from Apple", some random docks and no return address?

[FlpDaMattress]

21 hours ago, NumLock21 said:

Those Apple Lightning dock is suppose to be all white, not grey with a white base surrounding the connector.

Also on the letter top right, it says BEAR License

You sure m8?

 

 

 

Also, Seems like a BEAR license is just another Californian thing but i can't find much info on it. Still obviously fake.

 

[NumLock21]

3 minutes ago, FlpDaMattress said:

You sure m8?

 

 

 

Also, Seems like a BEAR license is just another Californian thing but i can't find much info on it. Still obviously fake.

 

Why would Apple need a bear license they sell hunting equipment.

as for the dock the ones I see on distance display are mostly white