KUWAIT CITY, Jan 21: In a case that has stunned both police and the public, an Indian expatriate fell victim to an audacious and meticulously planned scam in which nine iPhone Pro Max smartphones turned out to be nothing more than used iron padlocks.

According to a security source, the incident unfolded after the victim agreed to purchase nine iPhones, an Apple Watch, and Apple headphones from an Egyptian expatriate for KD 3,838, a price significantly lower than the devices’ actual market value, which exceeds KD 5,000. The two met after the suspect closed the mobile phone shop where he worked, exchanged the devices for cash, and went their separate ways. It was only after returning home that the victim made the shocking discovery: the boxes contained padlocks instead of phones, a small padlock in place of the smartwatch, and empty packaging for the headphones.

What made the case even more extraordinary was the level of planning involved. Investigations revealed that the suspect had fled the country just hours after the transaction, leaving behind a trail of deception but no trace of himself. The victim, born in 1986, later filed a fraud complaint at the Jahra police station, while authorities confirmed that the accused, born in 1996, had already exited the country. Police have launched further inquiries as the bizarre “iPhone-to-padlock” scam continues to raise eyebrows.