Return and burn: Fake 'PS2' systems retailers took for real [Joystiq]

[DP ServBot]

Filed under: Culture (http://www.joystiq.com/category/culture/), Sony PlayStation 2 (http://www.joystiq.com/category/ps2/), Galleries (http://www.joystiq.com/category/galleries/)

http://www.blogcdn.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2009/02/wooden.ps2.yes.for.real.02.05.09-580px.jpg (http://www.joystiq.com/photos/absurd-ps2-returns/1337808/full/)
Click to enlarge the fine wood craftsmanship

They say there are some things you just can't make up. The accompanying photos, received today from an anonymous tipster who works at one of Sony's distribution centers, are definitely some of them.

What you see are "PS2 consoles" returned to retailers -- such as Best Buy and Walmart -- then subsequently sent to Sony for credit. We're not sure what's more silly: that someone would try to pass off a wooden replica PS2 for return, or that someone would actually take the time to make a wooden PS2 with such detail. The question of "Who would accept these for return?" must also be raised.

We'll take a moment to answer "Yes," "Yes" and "Maybe" to the following questions in advance: "Are those ladies dumbbells inside a PS2?," "Is that PS2 stuffed with towels?" and "Is that some sort of Chinese PS2 knockoff?" We hope that helps ease the pain.
Gallery: Absurd PS2 Returns (http://www.joystiq.com/photos/absurd-ps2-returns/)
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2009/02/walmart_picture2-252009-5_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.joystiq.com/photos/absurd-ps2-returns/1337815/)http://www.blogcdn.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2009/02/transworld__pic-1a-252009-7_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.joystiq.com/photos/absurd-ps2-returns/1337814/)http://www.blogcdn.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2009/02/walmart_picture1-252009-10_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.joystiq.com/photos/absurd-ps2-returns/1337813/)http://www.blogcdn.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2009/02/transworld__pic-1d-252009-1_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.joystiq.com/photos/absurd-ps2-returns/1337812/)http://www.blogcdn.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2009/02/transworld__pic-1c-252009-6_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.joystiq.com/photos/absurd-ps2-returns/1337811/)



http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif (http://www.joystiq.com)Return and burn: Fake 'PS2' systems retailers took for real (http://www.joystiq.com/2009/02/05/return-and-burn-fake-ps2-systems-retailers-took-for-real/) originally appeared on Joystiq (http://www.joystiq.com) on Thu, 05 Feb 2009 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds (http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/).



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[ProgrammingAce]

http://lubosz.de/Firefox3PerformanceBug/why_we_cant_have_nice_things.jpg

This is why we can't have nice things

[skaar]

Glorious. They should make PS2 shaped kleenex boxes - I'd buy one :D

[Darren870]

The third one is a flip top to use Swap Magic. Thats what mine looks like.

[Steve W]

There are so many cocksuckers out there in the world, I'm amazed this kind of thing doesn't happen more often. And let's face it, do you really think Wal-Mart people are bright enough to check the product thoroughly before giving that person their money back? If I were Wal-Mart, I'd have their employees do an inspection of the machine before giving the customer their money back. And at least get some ID and info on them before they get their cash. Too many scammers out there in the world.

[Cryomancer]

Glorious. They should make PS2 shaped kleenex boxes - I'd buy one :D

They make Dreamcast ones.

[bangtango]

The question of "Who would accept these for return?" must also be raised.

Well if it was a woman accepting those returns, I'd love to have her name and number. That way I can finally fool somebody with that cubic zirconia engagement ring from QVC that I've had laying around all these years.

[CosmicMonkey]

I'm now waiting until someone actually manages to return a George Foreman Grill in place of a PS3...

[Gameguy]

The question of "Who would accept these for return?" must also be raised.
http://img520.imageshack.us/img520/8443/1118392258mvp7.jpg




In the past when some people suggested buying a new 360 while returning the old one, I've heard other people say "no, the store would notice and refuse to do it". I guess if it were a wood replica instead it would be fine.

[ProgrammingAce]

In the past when some people suggested buying a new 360 while returning the old one, I've heard other people say "no, the store would notice and refuse to do it". I guess if it were a wood replica instead it would be fine.

A wooden replica of a 360 would be a firehazard. You'd have the Red Ring of Burning Your House Down.

[Half Japanese]

A few years ago when I worked at Circuit City the PSP had just come out, and I recommended that the lady who had just bought one for her son open it up before leaving the store to make sure it didn't have dead pixels. As soon as she opened it up, there were a couple of rocks inside the box instead of a PSP. She got a replacement immediately, of course, but the girl who allowed someone to return a box of rocks for $200 is an idiot.

[mnbren05]

People pull this all the time, the local mall had a Target return for cash a 32'' lcd tv and opened it weeks later to find weights and plywood. Funny thing is they did not learn and took back 3 cameras for cash a couple of weeks later with a coffee cup and other stuff inside their respective boxes.

[Flack]

That is awesome. I would trade a real PS2 for that wooden one in a heartbeat just to own it.

[Xander]

People pull this all the time, the local mall had a Target return for cash a 32'' lcd tv and opened it weeks later to find weights and plywood. Funny thing is they did not learn and took back 3 cameras for cash a couple of weeks later with a coffee cup and other stuff inside their respective boxes.

I would love to see what happens when they open a box in front of a consumer trying to pull this off and find crap instead of the real product. I wonder what the scammer say when that happens. Maybe something like "Oh! that's where I've put my rocks and crap! I've been searching all over for those, thank you."

[TurboGenesis]

A few years ago when I worked at Circuit City the PSP had just come out, and I recommended that the lady who had just bought one for her son open it up before leaving the store to make sure it didn't have dead pixels. As soon as she opened it up, there were a couple of rocks inside the box instead of a PSP. She got a replacement immediately, of course, but the girl who allowed someone to return a box of rocks for $200 is an idiot.

And this is why Circuit City has closed up… taking back box of rocks for $200!

The truth is scam people are everywhere and will stop at no means to save a few dollars. And it is to get worse during these times of hardship.

[ProgrammingAce]

I would love to see what happens when they open a box in front of a consumer trying to pull this off and find crap instead of the real product. I wonder what the scammer say when that happens. Maybe something like "Oh! that's where I've put my rocks and crap! I've been searching all over for those, thank you."

I've always been under the impression that the people who return rocks know the person taking the return, and they're in on it. Otherwise you'd have to have balls of steel to return a wooden PS2.