‘Be wary of ordering online’: How did a $1,000 phone turn into a pack of deodorants?
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A Brisbane shopper thought they were getting a brand-new phone—but something else arrived in the box.
The moment they opened the parcel, they knew something was wrong.
Instead of electronics, they found toiletries... and that was only the beginning.
The Queensland local took to social media to warn others, fearing they’d fallen victim to an elaborate online scam.
They explained they had bought a new phone, phone case and screen protectors through a third-party seller on Amazon, with the total spend described as significant.
‘Ordered a new phone, phone case, and screen protectors from Amazon,’ they wrote.
‘Spent a lot on this. Had to provide a password to the delivery driver for security to receive my product. Actually received deodorants.’
The unexpected package left them baffled, prompting questions about whether the issue stemmed from the seller, the warehouse or the delivery process.
‘Is this a scam from the company (had good reviews), or is this people at the depot/delivery drivers changing products out?’ they asked.
‘Always thought Amazon was relatively reliable. Not anymore... be wary of ordering online.’
Despite spending over an hour in a customer service chat, the shopper only received a refund—something they felt was insufficient given the concern and inconvenience.
The social media thread sparked heated discussion, with commenters debating whether it was a scam or a simple mix-up.
‘More than likely someone in dispatch has mixed up delivery labels and someone who ordered deodorant got your phone,’ one person said.
‘Those deodorants are usually pretty pricey—seems an odd choice for a scam,’ another pointed out.
But others weren’t convinced.
‘Often they'll fill a box with other much cheaper products to get the weight to match with what it should have been with the more expensive product that you ordered,’ one commenter explained.
‘Amazon marketplace has been flooded with Temu vendors in the past 6 months. Unless you’re buying name brand products, you need to be much more careful in general… If it’s a more generic phone brand it could just be a scam,’ added another.
‘Pretty sure it's the company scamming. Chase it up anyways. Sorry mate,’ a third replied.
‘It's a scam no question, but gotta look at what you're buying and why it's that price, Amazon is a marketplace not everything there is sold and shipped by Amazon,’ someone else chimed in.
Several commenters said the experience confirmed their reasons for buying tech elsewhere.
‘I still buy my bigger ticket electronics from places like JB or Officeworks,’ one person said.
‘It may be a higher price but I get peace of mind from it. Also they both do same day delivery (JB within 2hrs) if an item is needed urgently for a fee.’
‘Geez, buying a phone via Amazon is asking for trouble. No way I'd buy from them when you can buy from a proper Australian business like JB Hi-Fi,’ another agreed.
Amazon responded with a reminder of their buyer protection policies.
‘The Amazon A-to-z Guarantee helps customers shop with confidence when they purchase items sold and fulfilled by a third-party seller who directly provides their own customer service,’ a spokesperson said.
‘In the event that an item sold by a third-party seller is damaged, defective or materially different, customers can report the issue to Amazon who will assess and determine if they are eligible for a refund.’
If you’ve ever felt uneasy about what might show up at your door after ordering online, you’re not alone.
Stories like this one are becoming more common, and sometimes the price tag can make things seem safer than they actually are.
Here’s another case where a seemingly great deal ended in disappointment—and a reminder to always double-check before you click ‘buy’.
Read more: Online shoppers beware: Seemingly great deals may not be what they appear
Would you still trust an online marketplace after receiving the wrong item?
The moment they opened the parcel, they knew something was wrong.
Instead of electronics, they found toiletries... and that was only the beginning.
The Queensland local took to social media to warn others, fearing they’d fallen victim to an elaborate online scam.
They explained they had bought a new phone, phone case and screen protectors through a third-party seller on Amazon, with the total spend described as significant.
‘Ordered a new phone, phone case, and screen protectors from Amazon,’ they wrote.
Online order turns into unexpected delivery surprise. Image source: Reddit
‘Spent a lot on this. Had to provide a password to the delivery driver for security to receive my product. Actually received deodorants.’
The unexpected package left them baffled, prompting questions about whether the issue stemmed from the seller, the warehouse or the delivery process.
‘Is this a scam from the company (had good reviews), or is this people at the depot/delivery drivers changing products out?’ they asked.
‘Always thought Amazon was relatively reliable. Not anymore... be wary of ordering online.’
Despite spending over an hour in a customer service chat, the shopper only received a refund—something they felt was insufficient given the concern and inconvenience.
The social media thread sparked heated discussion, with commenters debating whether it was a scam or a simple mix-up.
‘More than likely someone in dispatch has mixed up delivery labels and someone who ordered deodorant got your phone,’ one person said.
‘Those deodorants are usually pretty pricey—seems an odd choice for a scam,’ another pointed out.
But others weren’t convinced.
‘Often they'll fill a box with other much cheaper products to get the weight to match with what it should have been with the more expensive product that you ordered,’ one commenter explained.
‘Amazon marketplace has been flooded with Temu vendors in the past 6 months. Unless you’re buying name brand products, you need to be much more careful in general… If it’s a more generic phone brand it could just be a scam,’ added another.
‘Pretty sure it's the company scamming. Chase it up anyways. Sorry mate,’ a third replied.
‘It's a scam no question, but gotta look at what you're buying and why it's that price, Amazon is a marketplace not everything there is sold and shipped by Amazon,’ someone else chimed in.
Several commenters said the experience confirmed their reasons for buying tech elsewhere.
‘I still buy my bigger ticket electronics from places like JB or Officeworks,’ one person said.
‘It may be a higher price but I get peace of mind from it. Also they both do same day delivery (JB within 2hrs) if an item is needed urgently for a fee.’
‘Geez, buying a phone via Amazon is asking for trouble. No way I'd buy from them when you can buy from a proper Australian business like JB Hi-Fi,’ another agreed.
Amazon responded with a reminder of their buyer protection policies.
‘The Amazon A-to-z Guarantee helps customers shop with confidence when they purchase items sold and fulfilled by a third-party seller who directly provides their own customer service,’ a spokesperson said.
‘In the event that an item sold by a third-party seller is damaged, defective or materially different, customers can report the issue to Amazon who will assess and determine if they are eligible for a refund.’
If you’ve ever felt uneasy about what might show up at your door after ordering online, you’re not alone.
Stories like this one are becoming more common, and sometimes the price tag can make things seem safer than they actually are.
Here’s another case where a seemingly great deal ended in disappointment—and a reminder to always double-check before you click ‘buy’.
Read more: Online shoppers beware: Seemingly great deals may not be what they appear
Would you still trust an online marketplace after receiving the wrong item?
