[Datswansguy]

Hi,

I don't want to post too much information about myself on this forum, but I am currently a UK resident looking to get started with SEing. I don't want to make a reallllly long post, but I do have some questions about stuff that I've read about in the past week, also relating to the SEing that I'd like to do.

Edit 1: Oops, sorry if this post is too long! I read a post about making good/high quality posts or something somewhere, so wanted to include as much info as I could. However, here's a summary:

TL;DR: I want to SE an iphone 13 pro from amazon, but am not sure if I should do wrong item or sealed box method - which one has the most success in the uk? Or are there other even better methods? In regards to this, does amazon track refunds/products, so could they trace an empty sealed box back to me? and also, how close would the weight have to be for wrong item?

Firstly, the item I'd like to SE and the company I'd like to SE it from: an iPhone 13 Pro from amazon. While kinda unoriginal, it's something that I'd love to have and don't really have the money for atm, due to other financial stresses in life. I've read posts going back a couple of months in the SE group, and I have a rough idea of the SE methods that could work/are effective for this type of item. I'll list these methods and the questions I have about them below:

(Also, a quick note about my account: It's almost a year old, and has quite a few different orders. I've ordered multiple £100 items legit-ly in the past, including a SSD just over two weeks ago. I've also made legit returns in the past, the account almost has no SE activity on it before. Although, there was one thing; one of my friends tried to get a 256gb iphone 13 for me on this account using a method that I'm not sure of - I placed the order for this iphone on 8/11/21, he sent something to them on 15/11/21 but this didn't actually work so I had to send back the iphone legitimately on 21/12/2021, and received the refund just before Christmas. I had opened the iphone box and returned it as so, so if they checked they would've seen that it was a legitimate return. However, I did have some back and forth with the CS because something got mixed up on their end, resulting in me having to fill out a few incident forms. Would this be a problem going forward? Since I ordered that iphone, I've made 15 legit orders including the SSD aforementioned which required a OTP. Should I wait longer before getting this phone, or has it been enough time/orders since then to try something else?)

Firstly, the wrong item method. From my understanding, I'd order another item of the same weight to a similar/the same location. I was thinking that I could find another phone that has a shipped weight of 360g (the weight of the ip13p), and order it to the same shop/pickup location or amazon locker. I've read that the other item should be similar in item category to the iphone, so I'd probably go for a cheaper android phone (price range 50-150) - would this be similar enough? And does this method have good success rates in the UK? Lastly, should I purchase other items on the secondary amazon account? I'm planning to place the order on this other account using a different device, VPN and amazon GC, so there's no link to the same CC/my actual account.

Secondly, the sealed box method. Here, I'd buy the phone, take it out the packaging after it's arrived and replace it with other objects of the exact same weight. After this, I'd seal the box back up using unofficial sealing strips from AliExpress or wherever else, and just return it to amazon like normal. My main concerns from this method are about if the SE can be tracked back to me; I assume they wouldn't open the packaging just to check (especially if there's no signs of tampering), but what happens to the return afterwards? If another customer orders it and discover there's nothing in it, can the phone be tracked back to me (through seriel/tracking numbers, etc)?

Thirdly, not sure what it's called, but a variation of the EB that partially includes method #2 posted immediately above. I'd order the iphone, but claim that there was no iphone in the package, despite the seals being in tact. I'm assuming this method would have a lower success rate, but worth noting I suppose?

Finally, some notes about common methods that I didn't include above:
-DNA. This seems like a timeless classic, but the only problem is the OTP. I need OTPs for smaller orders (from £100 upwards), so the iphone would deffo require one. I've heard there are ways around it, but I'm not confident enough atm to try them. If it turns up and doesn't require a OTP, then by all means I'll go for this method.
-EB. The iphone itself is 204g, so too heavy for this.
-FTID, FTID 3, etc. This method seems like marmite; some people love it, but others absolutely hate it. Could someone explain why it's so good/bad?

One of my larger concerns is if the iphone is tracked, or can be blacklisted. Do amazon keep track of the IMEIs? I'd be using it myself, but it wouldn't be great if one day cellular stopped working and I had police turning up at my door. If I did ever decide to sell it, the problem would be the same; whoever brought the phone probably wouldn't be best pleased that it becomes blacklisted out of the blue.

I'd appreciate any commentary on the methods I've listed, such as the most successful one, etc, and also if I didn't mention any of the common ones for high value SEs like this. I'm sure you get pinged 1000 times a day, but @mothered I'd love your insights into this too .

thanks for reading 

[mothered]

TL;DR

[Datswansguy]

TL;DR

oops, sorry - I've added a TLDR to the post in addition to this reply:

TL;DR:

I want to SE an iphone 13 pro from amazon, but am not sure if I should do wrong item or sealed box method - which one has the most success in the uk? Or are there other even better methods? In regards to this, does amazon track refunds/products, so could they trace an empty sealed box back to me? and also, how close would the weight have to be for wrong item?

thanks!

[SirEntity]

Looking forward to updates on this post, am also looking to SE an iphone soon on UK amazon and want to know what the best method is!

[Datswansguy]

Looking forward to updates on this post, am also looking to SE an iphone soon on UK amazon and want to know what the best method is!

Good to hear! That’s why I tried to make it as detailed as poss, so other people could try and follow it too

[mothered]

I want to SE an iphone 13 pro from amazon, but am not sure if I should do wrong item or sealed box method - which one has the most success in the uk?

The region Is Irrelevant.

If you're opting for the sealed box method, the packaging/stickers for the IPhone 13 can be purchased from here:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/10050033...e3b11e8a-2
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/10050034...e3b11e8a-1
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/10050034...e3b11e8a-0
https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/S...6d0adQ2bno

In terms of the wrong Item received method, be sure the Incorrect Item Is purchased on a different account from Amazon, with roughly the same weight as the phone.

Or are there other even better methods?

The DNA method (non-OTP delivery), disposed of the faulty Item and the boxing method.

In regards to this, does amazon track refunds/products, so could they trace an empty sealed box back to me?

You won't be sending an empty sealed box - you'll be substituting something of equal/similar weight.

and also, how close would the weight have to be for wrong item?

No more than a 120 gram variance +/-

[Datswansguy]

If you're opting for the sealed box method, the packaging/stickers for the IPhone 13 can be purchased from here:

Thanks for the links, do you think any of them would work particularly well or are they all the same? I’ll order some regardless of if I do the method or not, because the shipping is a few weeks.

In terms of the wrong Item received method, be sure the Incorrect Item Is purchased on a different account from Amazon, with roughly the same weight as the phone.

I’ve managed to find a phone within the £50-60 price bracket, that weighs exactly the same as the iPhone (gram for gram) . Also, with the second account for this method, would it be ok if I brought it using gift cards? Or should I set up a VCC and use that instead? And last thing, should I order them both to a pickup location (e.g. amz locker, corner shop, etc) or just to my neighbours/my house?

You won't be sending an empty sealed box - you'll be substituting something of equal/similar weight.

That’s what I mean - could Amazon trace it back to me if someone else brought and reported it?

Btw thanks for all the help, I appreciate it

[mothered]

do you think any of them would work particularly well or are they all the same?

They're all manufactured equally to serve their purpose, so It's up to you to apply them without Imperfections.

I’ve managed to find a phone within the £50-60 price bracket, that weighs exactly the same as the iPhone (gram for gram)

Good to read.

Also, with the second account for this method, would it be ok if I brought it using gift cards? Or should I set up a VCC and use that instead?

They're both much of a muchness.

The most Important thing, Is to have no association to your primary account.

And last thing, should I order them both to a pickup location (e.g. amz locker, corner shop, etc) or just to my neighbours/my house?

The wrong Item must be sent to a different address.

That’s what I mean - could Amazon trace it back to me if someone else brought and reported it?

Who's to say that "someone else" Isn't a social engineer who's attempting to SE the company with the wrong Item received method?

Once your return has been placed back Into stock and then picked, packed, dispatched and sold, It's Impossible to pinpoint that you're at fault.

Btw thanks for all the help, I appreciate it

You're welcome.

[Datswansguy]

They're both much of a muchness.

The most Important thing, Is to have no association to your primary account.

I'll get my friend to order it then, so there's absolutely no connection.

The wrong Item must be sent to a different address.

This part is confusing me slightly. I've decided that the wrong item method is probably the one that I'm gonna go for now, so I have some more detailed questions about it if its ok.

Should I order it to a similar address? i.e. next door house, same street, same town, etc?

Should I order them to arrive on the same day? e.g. amazon day delivery

Should I order both phones at the exact same time?

After the iphone comes, I'll collect the other non-iphone then take pictures to show that It's the correct shipping but wrong item. Should I just call amazon after this? and tell them that the wrong phone has come?

Do you know roughly how long amazon takes to complete their investigation for this type of problem?

Sorry for all the questions, but I wanted to have all my bases covered before I went for it

[mothered]

Should I order it to a similar address? i.e. next door house, same street, same town, etc?

Any address that's not associated to yours.

Should I order them to arrive on the same day? e.g. amazon day delivery
Should I order both phones at the exact same time?

The arrival date Is not relevant.

Each Item can be ordered on separate days (the method has proven to work as such) but to play It safe, order each one on the same day.

After the iphone comes, I'll collect the other non-iphone then take pictures to show that It's the correct shipping but wrong item. Should I just call amazon after this? and tell them that the wrong phone has come?

Forget about taking photos etc. It's unnecessarily complicating matters.

All you're concerned with, Is that you've received an Incorrect Item to what was originally ordered - which Is exactly what you'll tell the representative. The next course of action will be based on their reply.

Do you know roughly how long amazon takes to complete their investigation for this type of problem?

Impossible to generalize.

Every claim Is assessed on a case-by-case basis.