Chandigarh: Apple India asked to unblock customer’s Apple ID, penalised for causing harassment

As Gurdeep contacted Apple customer care, she was informed that the firm had blocked her Apple ID as they had received a mail from her to stop her ID. The company said that if she had not done that, then she must have stolen the iPhone.

On this, Kaur showed the original bills her iPhone to the customer care, but no action was taken by the firm. Thus, she moved Consumer Court and filed a formal complaint.

In its reply to the complaint, Apple India said that the alleged damage caused to the iPhone was on account of the negligent misuse by the complainant, which rendered the iPhone out of warranty and thus, the alleged damage was not attributable to the firm. Meanwhile, the Apple dealership Anmol Smart Store, did not appear in the forum, resulting in the proceedings being exparte.

After hearing the arguments in the case, the forum held, “Consumers who willfully destroy, damage or negligently handle a product are not eligible to claim any relief under the Act… it did not appear to be convincing to us, as the product in question is not found to be damaged, rather it was only the complainant’s Apple ID which had got blocked. Moreover, the Opposite Party (Apple India) has miserably failed to adduce any documentary evidence in support of its claim, like the receipt of a complaint by anybody else other than the complainant due to which they blocked the Apple ID.”

The forum in the judgment held that it was the duty of Apple India to redress the complainant’s grievances, but it had failed to do so and had rather propelled unwarranted litigation upon the complainant. Thus, it directed Apple India to unblock the complainant’s Apple ID, pay Rs 2,500 as compensation and pay Rs 2,500 as cost of litigation. Meanwhile, the forum dismissed the complaint against the dealership.