Apple claims shipped iPhone box was empty

The receipt itself may not show a weight, but the online tracking link should show 0.9 lbs or similar.

screenshot that with the tracking number and send that to Apple. I had even taken pictures of the returned phone in the return box and I sent that to Apple, too.

they relented and gave me the full value.

This same thing happened to me when I did a trade in. I got the 15 Pro Max from the Apple Store and sent back my 14 Pro Max as trade in.

Got an email from Apple stating the box was empty. They asked me to reply to the email with details on how exactly I packed the box. I had just so happened to take pictures of the iPhone 14 Pro Max outside, inside and of the sealed box itself. I sent all the pictures I had along with the Fed Ex receipt that showed the weight.

I then opened a support case with Apple Support over chat. Sent the same information to them, too.

An hour after I opened the case, I got an email from Apple saying all is well and they will process my trade in at full value.

I have NOT A CLUE what made them change their mind so quickly.

the Fedex website shows the package weighed 1.7 Ibs / 0.77 kgs = 770g and iPhone iPhone 14 pro max weighs 240g so how can they say the box arrived empty?!

Good question ... so I asked (FedEx is only a block from me.)

FedEx cannot tell if a package is insured nor for how much by looking at a package or the tracking information. This is to minimize the advertisement of a package's value and the temptation of unscrupulous employees. So, she could not tell me if Apple insured the shipment of my wife's trade-in.

Furthermore, because Apple is the designated 'shipper', it is not even possible for me to file a claim with FedEx. Only Apple can.

She had no suggestions for me regarding whether I should file a police report here (KY), at the final destination (Don't remember atm), at the intermediary hubs (IN), or with the feds (as it crossed state lines).

The last thing to share is that Apple just emailed my wife moments ago and said the claim was settled and they would be sending us the agreed-upon trade-in value of the phone. I do not know if this was a result of our AppleCare+, their (possible) insurance with FedEx, the phone was found, yada, yada, yada.

Honestly, this isn't just an Apple thing. Many big companies are tightening down on returns where your similar situation happened because of shipping and return fraud happening more and more often. It's unfortunate some scammers caused companies to do this and hurt legit customers in the process.

File the police report as they asked and request, if not already done, Apple have FedEx open an investigation, too.

Though only my wife’s phone disappeared, we did get timely refunds for both.

At the end of the day, Apple paid for shipping and thus shipping insurance. If a phone goes missing in shipment, it’s between Apple and FedEx … more specifically between Apple and the insurance company underlying FedEx’s shipping insurance plan.

You can obviously demonstrate the weight of the package you sent them. (If ur receipt doesn’t show the weight, use your tracking number and get the online receipt which does.)

There may be some handwringing on Apple’s behalf, but at the end of the day, you cannot insure a shipment that Apple paid for, nor can you even take a video of FedEx employees taking the package from you.

You’ll just have to be patient and determined.

That sucks so they never answered back about the investigation?? I called them the next day and I also send them my concern through messages as well from apple

support and surprisingly a few hours later I received another email saying that I was getting my refund and a little more than the estimated amount like that’s very suspicious how out of no where they found it , I’m sure they are doing this to see if some won’t do anything about it , don’t give up and keep trying I’m sure they have your phone

I had similar situation with AppleCare . I received a replacement and then returned a damaged phone. I got email saying that the box was empty !!!!! Something is going on between Fedex and reception dock. Called Apple and they started an investigation. I have all the paperwork but the ticket the FedEx employee gave me at time I dropped off the box did not show the weight …

Last call I had a few days ago with Apple support, the rep told me Fedex denied the claim, and so she needed me to upload to Apple's support site, copies of the original invoice for my iPhone and the AppleCare+ showing the phone was indeed covered! I uploaded the 2 invoices 3 days ago and now waiting for further instructions.

Let's see what happens. :)

Right before this fiasco, I ordered an iPhone 15 Pro for my son. Hope he won't have the same issues as I did. :)

A similar problem just happened to me. I got the new iPhone Pro 15 and sent my iPhone Pro 12 Max as a trade-in. Apple claimed my trade-in was worth $0 because one of the camera's outer glass was cracked.

So I told them to send it back. I got my return this weekend, and I knew immediately it was an empty box when I picked it up, and sure enough it was.

The empty box was shipped this way by Apple. The box I received was not tampered with, and the shipping label was wrapped around the box intact, so if it were opened, the shipping label would be torn. Also, there was zero evidence the box had been re-tapped.

I bet most of these issues are happening internally at Apple via employee theft and not in the shipping process.

The good news is I contacted Apple, and they did an investigation and issued me a refund on the original trade-in value a couple of hours later.

Can you contact Fedex and just ask if included an insurance?

Had the same thing happen today.

iPhone 13 Pro with AppleCare+ - Face ID sensor stopped working.

Opted for Express Replacement and got a replacement iPhone in a box within 4 days (sadly via Fedex).

Returned original iPhone in the same box as instructed and with prepaid label from Apple.

Item was delivered one day later with some shipping exception on the tracking.

Shipping weight on FedEx tracking shows 1 lbs / 0.45 kgs.

Apple emails me saying they received an empty box!!!!

WTF is going on - it seems a lot of people have had this happen, according to various forums!

Ok, so just as fast as this was a panic, all-hands situation it turned into a nothing burger.

After I sent my pics of the box and told Apple what I did, per the email instructions, I initiated a chat with Apple Support that ended with, "give us 24 to 48 hours to investigate". Which is fair.

a few minutes ago, I just got an email stating that the investigation is complete and I was getting my full stated value for my iPhone 14 Pro Max. They apologized fro the bother :-)

I hope your case is similarly uneventful.

This JUST happened to us!

On 10/13/23 my wife boxed and returned her iPhone 13 Pro Max as a trade in for a new iPhone 15 Pro Max.

On 10/20/23 we received an email from Apple saying the box was empty!!

We have the FedEx receipt, but it does not show the weight. We have/had AppleCare+ on it. We are writing Apple back now asking what to do … file a police report? Request FedEx start an investigation? Request Apple investigate?

In the meantime, I’m still waiting on delivery of my new iPhone 15 Pro Max.

What steps can I take to make certain this doesn’t happen to me when ship my old iPhone 13 in a week or two?

Leave FindMy on? Video the boxing and hand off within the FedEx store? Use different packaging? I mean … wow! I’m really counting on getting that money back from her trade in, as well as my soon-to-be trade in….