A case occurred where a MacBook purchased online was stolen by someone else when the customer went to pick it up at an Apple Store

A MacBook ordered by a customer at

https://www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/news/macbook-allegedly-stolen-from-glendale-apple-store-with-fake-id/

Suspect allegedly flashes fake ID to steal laptop from Glendale Apple Store - CBS Los Angeles
https://www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/news/suspect-allegedly-flashes-fake-id-to-steal-laptop-from-north-hollywood-apple-store/

Kyle Bales was trying to pick up his MacBook, which he ordered online, at an Apple Store when it was stolen by someone. Bales explained why he wanted to pick up his online Apple product at an Apple Store: 'I've bought a few products from Apple, and I felt safe picking them up at the store.'

Bales went to the Apple Store in Glendale on Tuesday, December 3, 2024, and presented the QR code and ID to pick up the MacBook he had purchased online. However, it became clear that someone had already taken Bales' MacBook. At this point, the Apple Store employee told Bales, 'Oh, someone has taken it. I think we need to file a police report.'

Similar to Bales, there were other cases of Apple products being stolen from Apple Stores at almost the same time. Rick Markowitz also had his MacBook stolen from an Apple Store using a fake ID. When Markowitz tried to pick up his MacBook at the Apple Store, he was told, 'You've already received your MacBook.'

Glendale Police Sergeant Vahe Abramian told CBS Los Angeles, 'I can't really talk about leads or anything other than to say that there have been some reports and they have been sent to the Financial Crimes Unit for investigation.'

'I believe that a criminal organization is behind this incident,' Patrick Herr, CEO of security company SlashNext, told CBS Los Angeles. He said that the thief could have used the dark web and phishing attacks to access the victim's email, obtain and forge an ID, and then use the fake ID and a QR code for receipt at the Apple Store to receive the purchased item before the victim.

To avoid being victimized by incidents like this, Ha advises consumers to 'avoid clicking on suspicious emails or texts' and 'change passwords regularly.' He also warned that it is dangerous to reuse the same password for all applications and services.

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Bales, whose MacBook was stolen, said that the MacBook he purchased is still stolen, and that this is strange. 'Apple is taking my money and not giving me my laptop. They haven't even said, 'I'll call you when I know what happened,'' he said, expressing his distrust for Apple.

CBS Los Angeles has reached out to Apple for comment but has not received a response at the time of writing.