What weighs as much as a Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 and potentially folds as neatly? In Amazon’s e-commerce world, that would be a broken marble tile. At least that’s what a Bengaluru-based software engineer may have wondered when he unwrapped an official packaging box of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7. Humour aside, Premanand, the victim, documented his misery of discovering a marble tile placed neatly within a sealed box of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 – something for which he had paid Rs 1.87 lakh.
Premanand placed his order for a brand new Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 – Samsung’s most expensive smartphone on sale in India in 2025, on October 14. The techie completed the full payment via credit card, hoping to receive his shiny new foldable smartphone just before the Diwali celebrations.
Due to the pre-Diwali rush, the delivery chain was known to suffer and Premanand had to wait until October 19 to get his hands on the package. According to the NDTV report, Premanand ensured recording a video of himself unboxing the supposedly sealed shipment — a common practice advised to buyers of electronics to protect against fraud. The video, which documented the opening of the package, clearly showed a heavy marble tile inside instead of the promised Samsung smartphone.
Bengaluru techie gets marble slab instead of Rs 1.87 lakh folding smartphone
“I had ordered a Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 worth Rs 1.87 lakh, but to my shock, I received a marble stone instead of the phone just a day before Diwali,” an understandably depressed Premanand said in a statement to NDTV. “This incident completely ruined the festive spirit we had been eagerly waiting to celebrate all year. I urge everyone to be extremely cautious while shopping online, especially on Amazon. This experience has been deeply disappointing,” he added.
Premanand, however, responded swiftly. He filed a report on the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (NCRP) to officially document the fraud. He subsequently approached the local authorities at the Kumaraswamy Layout Police Station, where a First Information Report (FIR) was formally registered. The police have launched a full investigation into the case, aiming to trace the origins of the fraudulent package and identify the individuals responsible for the swap.
What was Amazon’s response to the incident?
On the sidelines, an alerted Amazon reviewed the evidence and conducted internal checks. The e-commerce giant then processed a full refund of Rs 1.87 lakh to Premanand, thus softening the blow, all while the police investigation is underway.
How to stay safe from such e-commerce scams
It is always recommended to document an unboxing or unpackaging of a high-value product when purchased from an e-commerce platform. Flipkart customers are urged to do an open-box delivery to check the product’s condition prior to handing it over to the customer.
Additionally, if you find yourself in a similar situation, keep in mind to reach out to the e-commerce platform’s helpline number instantly for posting a complaint and try filing a FIR with the nearest police station. as well as the National Cybercrime Reporting PortalAdditionally, if you find yourself in a similar situation, keep in mind to reach out to the e-commerce platform’s helpline number instantly for posting a complaint and try filing a FIR with the nearest police station as well as the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal.
