Scammers posed as Comcast, convinced Philadelphia-area man to send back new iPhone

A Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, man says he was tricked into sending back a brand-new iPhone, then billed more than $1,000 for a device he no longer had.

The case is the latest example of scammers impersonating well-known companies and using detailed personal information to make their schemes more convincing.

Deal gone wrong

Wayne Toughill of King of Prussia said he signed up for an Xfinity Mobile promotion to save money on his Comcast cable bill. The offer, he said, included a free phone.

"Free phone, why not?" Toughill said.

But within minutes of the phone being delivered, Toughill said he received a phone call from someone claiming to be with Comcast.

"They knew everything"

Toughill said the caller claimed to be with Comcast and told him the wrong phone had been shipped.

"They said, 'We sent the wrong phone, we need you to return it,'" he said.

What made the call so convincing, Toughill said, was the level of detail. The caller had his name, address and even specific information about the phone he had just ordered.

Verification did not help

Still suspicious, Toughill said he followed standard advice and called Comcast directly to verify the request.

He said a representative told him the situation was "most likely" legitimate and reassured him it was not a problem.

With that confirmation, Toughill shipped the phone back using a label he had been sent.

That's when he realized he had been scammed.

Stuck with the bill

Comcast later told him it never requested the return and never received the device.

Despite that, Toughill said he was still held responsible for the cost, about $1,200.

"They said it's our policy that when someone gets scammed like this, that we make them pay," he said.

A growing scam

Impersonation scams like this are among the most commonly reported scams in the United States, according to the Federal Trade Commission.

Experts say scammers are becoming more sophisticated, often posing as major brands like Comcast, Amazon and Walmart. Last year, Amazon reported a 33% spike in scammers impersonating its customer service.

Common tactics can include:

• Fake customer service calls
• Copycat websites that appear in search results
• Responses to customer complaints on social media

In some cases, scammers have access to detailed customer information, making their outreach more convincing.

How the situation was resolved

Toughill said he spent more than a month trying to resolve the issue, filing a police report and submitting fraud claims.

He said he was getting nowhere and feared the bill could be sent to collections.

"I'm still embarrassed by it," he said.

After contacting In Your Corner, the situation changed quickly. Within days, Comcast agreed to credit nearly the full cost of the phone back to his account, along with an additional courtesy credit.

He hopes others learn from what happened.

"I'm glad you got it worked out for me, I'm incredibly grateful," Toughill said. "Anyone can get taken by this."

What Comcast says

It remains unclear how the scammers obtained Toughill's order information.

In a statement, Comcast urged customers to be cautious about return requests and directed them to online resources outlining common scams, including this return scheme.

The company also said it addressed the internal miscommunication in this case and coached the employee involved.

Comcast urged customers to report suspected scams through its website, by emailing abuse@comcast.net, or by calling 1-888-565-4329.

Experts say the key is to remain cautious of any unsolicited request involving returns, payments or account changes, especially when time pressure is involved.

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