newjerseynewsroom.com

BY BOB HOLT

NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM

Major retailers in Vancouver have launched a fraud investigation after about two dozen people were found to have purchased iPad 2s made of clay at their locations.

Future Shop said scam artists bought Apple's iPad 2s with cash, replaced the tablets with bags of model clay, having shrink-wrapped seals that made them look like fresh, new products. Then the boxes were returned to the stores, and put back on the shelves apparently without checking inside the box.

Digital Journal reports that Best Buy, Walmart and London Drugs are also part of the investigation. All but Walmart have changed their return policies. Employees are now to open returned items in front of the person doing the returning, to make sure all parts of the product are intact.

Future Shop and Best Buy say about 10 clay models were sold in their locations, London Drugs reported four cases in the past month, and Walmart is investigating fewer than 10. London Drugs and Walmart said the products did not appear to have been tampered with because the shrink-wrap was done professionally.

Dayne Chabot, who purchased a fake iPad 2 at a Walmart said to CTV British Columbia, "It was all sealed properly and everything. It was the shape of an iPad. They even had a piece of clay where the charger went. They knew what they were doing."

Future Shop spokesperson Elliott Chun said to CTV News, "It really saddens Future Shop that people stoop to be this opportunistic and make money in this way."