An Australian woman who paid £800 for two new Apple iPhones lost her money when she opened the boxes and found two real green apples inside.
The 21-year-old placed an advert online saying she was looking for two Apple iPhones, but was sold two apples instead.
Police in the Queensland town of Upper Mt Gravatt, near Brisbane, said that not long after the advert was placed in the Gumtree site a woman called and said she had two Apples for sale.
Senior Constable Jess Hopkin of the Upper Mt Gravatt Crime Prevention Unit said the two women arranged to meet at a McDonald's outlet, where the transaction took place. The purchaser handed over $1500, the equivalent of £800, and was given two new iPhone boxes in return and she made the mistake of not looking inside.
On returning home the young woman opened the boxes and found to her horror that they contained real apples.
Senior Constable Hopkin warned people to be wary when they buy anything online.
"Don't stay away because most people are doing the right thing, but be smart about what you buy," she said.
She added, "If something seems too good to be true, it probably is. It's really just common sense".
