The fraud that is bytes.pk

[Shrink]

Hello
The point of this thread is make possible future "victims" aware of the fraudulent dealings that this supposedly popular online retailer carries out.i learnt it the hard way.
So, one unfortunate day i decided to order a used LG G2 for my brother..he was actually not very keen on online buying , i was the one who kind of coerced him into it..i had ordered some stuff from bytes last year and that turned out ok so i thought id order from them again...the prices offered were substantially below the market rates..i paid Rs.13000 for it.
Well the set arrived and first impressions were actually really good...No carrier logo..it was 9/10 atleast in condition..the box had a new elements connector cable with it...until i tried running 4G on it and it wouldnt work..it was stamped as a d802, which is the international variant and supports 4G..ran a motherboard check through a software and turns out it was a d800 branded falsely in the software info as a d802..
Khair i was ok with that even...in that price, it was acceptable..told bhai to use it for a few months and then sell it off and get something better..UNTIL ofcourse i decided to run the imei number on PTAs website to allay his fears about the possible grey source of the set... I told him"they import used sets from the States, theyre legit!"
And behold, the imei number showed up as STOLEN on the pta website...opened up the unlocking menu by code and that confirmed it by reporting that "the set has been permanently locked."
Repeatedly called their helpline and emailed them to register my issue...their cust rep kept telling me what i had told my brother"our sets are imported "...khair i emailed them the screenshots from PTAs website after whoch they squeamishly apologized and promised a speedy return..the set was picked up by courier services after a few days and the rep promised to return the payment as soon as the set was back with them.
Its been 2 weeks today and there hasnt been any contact from them...they dont reply to emails...deleted all my comments from their FB page before finally blocking me...
finally got through on the phone today and this is what the rep told me
" hamari policy hi nahi hay paisay return karnay ki"
When i told him it was a bit rich talking about policies when youre selling stolen grey market sets to unassuming customers, he said
"Bahas ka koi faida nai hay Dr sahab, hum aisa kartay nai hain laikin may aal ko aik bari personal favor k tor par yeh kar sacta hoon k aap ko isi model ka dobara koi aur set bhej doon".
I told him i would never ever commit the mistake of buying from them again..i wanted my payment back"
"Woh to nai ho sacta"...... I threatened him with legal action, considering this is fraud101.
He told me " woh aap ki marzi hay, aap jo karna chahayn."

Im actually quite stunned at their audacity...i mean such open, unapologetic badmaashi...i was being civil with them before but its too much now...i dont know exactly who to approach as this is Pakistan and cyber security is nonexistent...i have all the receipts and the screenshots of the phone showing imei number ..will contact some of my army seniors posted in KHI(im in lahore) and see what they can do.

 

[GloriousChicken]

These threads are against rules but however, its good that you shared something like this to warn other users in dealing, also
if you found evidence of stolen things being sold, file an FIR against them for a fraud and about them dealing in stolen items.

Just hope your senior isnt on duty, since you dont seem to have any friends here.

I'm sure [MENTION=2126]Jshak[/MENTION] can give you advice in this matter.
Wait for him to pop up here.

 

[murtaza12]

Yes, I would suggesting contacting Junaid bhai as well.

As for the G2 thing, well you should've known by now. I'm not even saying this as a joke, this G2 variant change is getting out of hand in Pakistan. I can't even say every other G2 has been modified, but EVERY G2 I've come across in Saddar, or those purchased from online shops have been tampered with and sold as fake D802 variants to jack up their resale value.

As for the stolen IMEI, well I'm not entirely sure if that is the ORIGINAL IMEI of your device.
Run it through and IMEI check website, HERE and see what it says. If it says LG G2 D800, then the device has been used in Pakistan for a while, reported to PTA as stolen and then obviously they have updated the database.

The other reason this may have happened is, the AT&T G2 (i.e: D800) have some IMEIs starting with 01xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx and some starting with 35xxxxxxxxxxxx, now the ones with 01 are a clear giveaway that the device is an American variant, since international unlocked variants only have 35xxxxxxxxxx IMEIs.
To cover this up, they change the IMEIs to those of old phones such as Nokia bricks and whatnot that may have been reported stolen a while back and remove the original IMEIs, possibly store them to write onto some other devices.

After reading what happened with [MENTION=16923]hasooboy[/MENTION] I wouldn't recommend anyone to buy from Bytes. They have hit a new level of low compared to other fraudulent online shops in Pakistan. This is just downright unfair, how they are so calm and care free about their customers problems, the bastard on the phone didn't even feel threatened when you mentioned taking legal action.

If you are in Karachi, I'd suggest a meet up with the member I mentioned above, and you guys should visit their store/office and give them a piece of your mind.

They don't deserve to be an online store. How has no action been taken against them yet? Their facebook page has a ton of complaints on it.

Please do yourselves a favor and don't even bother visiting their website anymore.

 

[hasooboy]

Seems like we are in same boat, here is my side of story http://www.pakgamers.com/forums/f118/had-terrible-experience-bytes-pk-242809/

You should have hold the phone and informed PTA and give them all the info, now they have the phone they will not give damn about anything, whatever you are trying to do, There are almost 100's of complaint against them.
As far as Imei is concerned mine was also tempered showing Galaxy S4 instead of Note 3

 

[shujaswati]

Y not publish all these horrific experiences on ProPakistani , so they can get the "reputation they want"

 

[hasooboy]

Y not publish all these horrific experiences on ProPakistani , so they can get the "reputation they want"

I have done that to.

Sent from my GT-I9500

 

[BOOM]

These threads are against rules...

How is it deemed "against rules" to warn everyone against a fraudulent website with proof?

 

[murtaza12]

These threads are against rules

Can you point out the rule from HERE that says it's against the rules?

 

[Shrink]

*double post

 

[Shrink]

Appreciate the replies and feedback, everyone...

if you found evidence of stolen things being sold, file an FIR against them for a fraud and about them dealing in stolen items.

Just hope your senior isnt on duty, since you dont seem to have any friends here.

I'm sure [MENTION=2126]Jshak[/MENTION] can give you advice in this matter.
Wait for him to pop up here.

The FIR route has popped into my mind as well...but i dont know if itll get me far..you know how the law here works...
at this stage the money issue is 2ndly...im just really pissed off at their behaviour..i mean the way they have handled it all...its like they "own " anyone who is stupid enough to buy from them..theyll do whatever they want, however they want to..

Yes, I would suggesting contacting Junaid bhai as well.

As for the G2 thing, well you should've known by now. I'm not even saying this as a joke, this G2 variant change is getting out of hand in Pakistan. I can't even say every other G2 has been modified, but EVERY G2 I've come across in Saddar, or those purchased from online shops have been tampered with and sold as fake D802 variants to jack up their resale value.

As for the stolen IMEI, well I'm not entirely sure if that is the ORIGINAL IMEI of your device.
Run it through and IMEI check website, HERE and see what it says. If it says LG G2 D800, then the device has been used in Pakistan for a while, reported to PTA as stolen and then obviously they have updated the database.

The other reason this may have happened is, the AT&T G2 (i.e: D800) have some IMEIs starting with 01xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx and some starting with 35xxxxxxxxxxxx, now the ones with 01 are a clear giveaway that the device is an American variant, since international unlocked variants only have 35xxxxxxxxxx IMEIs.
To cover this up, they change the IMEIs to those of old phones such as Nokia bricks and whatnot that may have been reported stolen a while back and remove the original IMEIs, possibly store them to write onto some other devices.

After reading what happened with [MENTION=16923]hasooboy[/MENTION] I wouldn't recommend anyone to buy from Bytes. They have hit a new level of low compared to other fraudulent online shops in Pakistan. This is just downright unfair, how they are so calm and care free about their customers problems, the bastard on the phone didn't even feel threatened when you mentioned taking legal action.

If you are in Karachi, I'd suggest a meet up with the member I mentioned above, and you guys should visit their store/office and give them a piece of your mind.

They don't deserve to be an online store. How has no action been taken against them yet? Their facebook page has a ton of complaints on it.

Please do yourselves a favor and don't even bother visiting their website anymore.

Yah ive already checked the imei from that site..it shows a d800...the imei number it gave me is the same one that the rooting software i used gave me...permanently blocked and reported as stolen by PTA...id upload the phone and pta images here but the forum wont let before ive reached a certain amount of posts.
Didnt know about the whole G2 rebranding thing before this...im usually very pedantic about researching everything that i venture into but this was a very at the spur of the moment thing...younger brothers Nexus5 got lost...he needed a replacement asap...i thought a used G2 would suffice as a temporary replacement..specially at that price...
The biggest issue in dealing with them is that im in lahore...so cant go to their office/outlet...ive practically never been to Khi so dont know anyone whos lives there permanently and knows his way around these folks...ive been contacting a few seniors posted in Makes and Khi...is mulk may links k baghair kuch nai ho sacta...
Ill pm Jshak as well as you guys have suggested...

And yes the cust rep, guy named Abdul Moiz was very calm...he kept saying "as a personal, special favor to you" and i kept correcting him k "i dont want any special favors...how the heck can you label returning a fraudulent stolen item for another one as a " special favor" .....but no, he kept repeating the word...completely undeterred....ive emailed their manager/operations incharge as well...some guy named Asif(his email id was in the chain of correspondence on the emails i received from them before)..no reply from him either.

Seems like we are in same boat, here is my side of story http://www.pakgamers.com/forums/f118/had-terrible-experience-bytes-pk-242809/

You should have hold the phone and informed PTA and give them all the info, now they have the phone they will not give damn about anything, whatever you are trying to do, There are almost 100's of complaint against them.
As far as Imei is concerned mine was also tempered showing Galaxy S4 instead of Note 3

I can empathize with your experience...infact you got ripped off much worse than me considering the amount you paid them..
Yah, i probably shouldve kept the set...infact my brother again kept saying not to return it before getting the money returned first...meh, this has been really embarassing for me...but then i still thought k in order to save their reputation from such a thing, theyd want to get this issue solved asap...so that i dont get disgruntled and rant about them on the internet.....how wrong i was.
But then again even if i had kept the set, technically they could still say it wasnt the one that was delivered to me in case of a legal situation..Even now i have all the receipts and the screenshots..pictures showing the phone and the bytes receipt with the screen displaying the imei number and permanently locked status

 

[depthcharge]

Y not publish all these horrific experiences on ProPakistani , so they can get the "reputation they want"

Propakistani is their Abuses will lead to ban. They won't publish anything against them 'cause if they do, Amir Ata stops getting those freebies he gets to publish shit in their favor [emoji23] Nowadays Propakistani is busy advertising their upcoming launch of this Chinese set *Leagoo*. He wouldn't wanna miss out on that now, would he? [emoji19]
IMO Propakistani has no standards and is just as corrupt as these fraudulent websites.

Sent via my Amami using Tapatalk

 

[dockash]

Go to consumer court

Sent from my SM-G925F using Tapatalk

 

[Naseero Khan]

Well the same happened with me but in that case it was the famous HSN. I ordered a corsir 750D from them, turn out they cleared the stock, took them a whole month to refund me and that as well in four installments. The final installment was PKR 750 as mobile load. Shocked.

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

 

[Naseero Khan]

And then the same happened with Bilal Malik, my importz, once a PG member. I gave him 20Ks for the casing, took him two months to refund me as he was unable to import the casing.

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

 

[Naseero Khan]

Ok and now let's talk about the Galaxy computers. Keep in mind this is the story of the same casing. They sent me a broken piece and when I complained they said bhai es tarah ka koi nahi ho sakta ab. Case return nahi hogi. Now I would have to order that broken piece from corsair worth $30

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

 

[GloriousChicken]

How is it deemed "against rules" to warn everyone against a fraudulent website with proof?

Can you point out the rule from HERE that says it's against the rules?

Maybe watch the fate of the previous such experience threads?
almost all ended with a deletion with a reminder of "TOLD YOU NOT TO PUT THIS KIND OF THREADS".
So it probably is a rule in the minds of the mods even though its not there?

Do you guys not follow?

 

[GloriousChicken]

Well the same happened with me but in that case it was the famous HSN. I ordered a corsir 750D from them, turn out they cleared the stock, took them a whole month to refund me and that as well in four installments. The final installment was PKR 750 as mobile load. Shocked.

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

LOL.
Galaxy and HSN are pretty much pathetic when it comes to service.

 

[murtaza12]

Maybe watch the fate of the previous such threads?
They all ended with a deletion with a reminder of "TOLD YOU NOT TO PUT THIS KIND OF THREADS".
So it probably is a rule in the minds of the mods even though its not there?

Do you guys not follow?

This thread is a warning and more of a discussion about how to deal with the situation.

I remember in the past when people used to rant about HSN, the thread would stretch to about 8-9 pages long, filled with arguments regarding which online store was better, foul language and just childish rants about how the person got scammed.
The most common one I remember was when HSN was selling brand new Galaxy Note 3's, but they were rooted out of the box.

Eventually it was drilled into everyone's thick skulls that PakGamers is not an online complaint department, nor is it a place to aimlessly throw a fit because you got scammed online. So people stopped.

According to the rules and even personal judgement, this thread is fine.

 

[GloriousChicken]

This thread is a warning and more of a discussion about how to deal with the situation.

I remember in the past when people used to rant about HSN, the thread would stretch to about 8-9 pages long, filled with arguments regarding which online store was better, foul language and just childish rants about how the person got scammed.
The most common one I remember was when HSN was selling brand new Galaxy Note 3's, but they were rooted out of the box.

Eventually it was drilled into everyone's thick skulls that PakGamers is not an online complaint department, nor is it a place to aimlessly throw a fit because you got scammed online. So people stopped.

According to the rules and even personal judgement, this thread is fine.

Heres the moral bois.

"BE MATURE IN YO OP AND PUT A WARNING ABOUT THIS BEING A DISCUSSION!"

on a side note, there should probably be a thread where everyone can throw dirt at certain stores.
That'd be gold. Especially when the defense comes in.

 

[wali]

Ok and now let's talk about the Galaxy computers. Keep in mind this is the story of the same casing. They sent me a broken piece and when I complained they said bhai es tarah ka koi nahi ho sakta ab. Case return nahi hogi. Now I would have to order that broken piece from corsair worth $30

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

I bought a corsair case from Galaxy 2 years back and one latch of the mesh grill was broken. I didn't bother to contact Galaxy, instead i claimed warranty from Corsair's website. I had to upload a scanned copy of the receipt from Galaxy as a proof of purchase, and Corsair was kind enough to send me a new grill within 2 weeks.