Kottayam, 20 Feb (H.S.):A man who recently returned to Kerala from Canada has alleged that he was duped in an online purchase after receiving a marble piece and an old cloth instead of a ₹56,000 laptop he had ordered through Amazon.
The complainant, Don Tom, a native of Paika Vattantham in Kottayam district, had ordered a Lenovo ThinkPad E14 professional laptop on February 12 to support his work-from-home requirements. Having just arrived in India, he intended to set up a proper home office and chose what he believed to be a reliable platform for the purchase. The full payment was made in advance via PhonePe.
According to Don Tom, the package was delivered on February 18. After sharing the mandatory one-time password (OTP) with the delivery agent and completing the formalities, the agent left. It was only after opening the parcel that he discovered he had been cheated.
“Instead of the laptop, there was a piece of marble and some old cloth inside the box,” he said. He also pointed out that the package did not offer an option to open and verify the contents in front of the delivery agent, leaving him with no immediate recourse.
The parcel was reportedly shipped by a seller identified as Gopal IT Service. Upon checking the product reviews online, Don Tom said he found that at least one other customer had reported a similar experience involving the same seller.
He immediately contacted Amazon’s customer service. Company representatives informed him that an internal investigation would be conducted and that a response regarding refund or replacement would be provided after February 23.
Unwilling to wait without formal action, Don Tom has filed a complaint with the Ponkunnam police station, seeking a thorough investigation into the matter. Police sources confirmed that a complaint has been received and that preliminary inquiries are underway.
The incident raises fresh concerns about online shopping safety and the need for stricter seller verification and delivery protocols, especially in high-value electronic purchases.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman
