Lucknow youth orders android phone, gets frying pan

LUCKNOW: A 22-year-old aspiring law student, who paid Rs 32,000 to purchase a high-end android phone from a popular e-commerce site, has received a frying pan instead and is now running from pillar to post to get a replacement or refund.
Abhishek Tiwari, a resident of Bazarkhala, lodged a cheating FIR against the e-commerce giant and its local delivery partner on August 11.On Tuesday, he shared his ordeal with reporters as correspondence with the company failed to yield desired results.
According to the FIR, Abhishek ordered the smartphone online on July 30 and delivery was scheduled for July 31. However, the delivery executive called Abhishek to say there was bereavement in his family and he would deliver the product on August 1.
The victim, who has sought admission to Lucknow University, said he nonetheless got a call from the supervisor of the delivery executive on July 31.
“The man assured me that he will make alternative arrangements for delivery the same day. But, the product was not delivered. On August 1, after several calls made to the supervisor, two men came in the evening and handed over the package. When I opened it, there was frying pan instead of a phone,” Abhishek said in his FIR.
The student called the customer care helpline. He also tweeted his complaint and tagged the company. The latter registered his complaint and asked him to wait for five working days.
On August 8, he received an email from a representative of the company, stating that the purchased product had been delivered and they wouldn’t be able to refund or replace. Abhishek lodged the FIR on August 11, but continued correspondence with the company. On Monday, he received a final email from the company, stating they were helpless.
Bazarkhala police inspector Ram Singh Yadav said they suspected a swapping racket. “We are scanning call records of the men who delivered the frying pan to the complainant. It is possibly a racket run by local crooks who swap original products for duplicates or substitutes,” he added.
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