Lisa Griffiths, a mother from Chapstow, Monmouthshire, never expected her Black Friday purchase from Currys to turn into a holiday nightmare.

She had eagerly ordered a pink 256GB Apple iPad for her 14-year-old daughter, spending £479 on what she hoped would be the perfect Christmas gift.

However, when the parcel arrived a few days later, it contained an item that was nowhere near the value of the iPad—an inexpensive microwaveable hot water bottle instead.

The First of Many Disappointments

Upon opening the parcel, Lisa was immediately confused.

The package seemed the right size, so she assumed it would contain the iPad. Instead, she found a hot water bottle.

She called Currys customer service right away, expecting the mistake to be easily rectified.

Initially, they were apologetic and asked her to return the hot water bottle before they would ship the correct product.

Lisa complied, believing it was a simple error that would be sorted out quickly.

Endless Waiting and Frustration

But things didn’t go as smoothly as she had hoped.

After returning the hot water bottle, Lisa was told she would need to wait while Currys conducted an investigation.

Days turned into weeks, and Christmas came and went.

Lisa was frustrated and feeling increasingly abandoned by the retailer.

Despite repeated follow-ups, she received minimal updates, and the situation dragged on.

Finally, on New Year’s Day, Currys sent her an email claiming they had completed their investigation and provided pictures of the delivery, asserting that the iPad had been delivered as ordered.

The retailer refused to assist further.

A Shocking Decision and Overturned Outcome

At this point, Lisa was livid. She had been a loyal customer of Currys for years and couldn’t believe they were accusing her of lying.

Their customer service was, in her words, “absolutely shocking.”

She had hoped that, after providing detailed information and a denial of receipt form, the issue would be resolved, but instead, Currys dismissed her claim.

However, after MailOnline intervened, Currys re-examined the case.

It was discovered that the hot water bottle sent to Lisa wasn’t even a product sold by the retailer.

As a result, Currys reversed its initial decision, issuing a full refund for the iPad, along with £100 in compensation.

A Common Scamming Issue?

Lisa’s experience is not unique. MailOnline has reported other cases where customers received entirely different items than what they ordered, suggesting a growing problem of fraud in online retail.

Fraudsters have been known to swap high-value products with cheaper ones, sending them to unsuspecting customers who later struggle to get their money back.

For instance, Susan Newton from Northumberland ordered a dash cam from Currys, only to receive a bag of sugar.

Similarly, Jo Davis from Derbyshire ordered an iPhone from John Lewis, only to find a cheap bottle of aftershave in the box.

And Lisa’s story isn’t the first time Currys has faced such accusations—just last week, MailOnline reported on a woman who received three pies instead of a laptop from the retailer.

The Impact on Customers

These experiences leave customers feeling angry, helpless, and, in some cases, financially drained.

Lisa Griffiths had to deal with the emotional toll of not being able to provide her daughter with her intended gift, as well as the financial strain of potentially losing hundreds of pounds.

Thankfully, in her case, MailOnline’s intervention led to a satisfactory resolution.

However, other consumers like Susan and Jo continue to struggle with their own unresolved issues.

As e-commerce continues to rise, so does the risk of these types of scams.

For now, the best advice seems to be vigilance when ordering online, especially with high-ticket items.

Always monitor your purchase and keep track of any correspondence with the retailer in case something goes wrong.

This article was published on TDPel Media. Thanks for reading!

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