Apple denied a customer’s refund, unless he proved he wasn’t Saddam Hussein
Apple allegedly refused a customer with the surname Hussain a refund on his iPhone 7 unless he proved he was not deceased Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein.
Sharakat Hussain (not Hussein), a 26-year-old from Birmingham who works as a driver had bought an iPhone 7 for his sister, but tried to get his money back when she rejected the gift. He paid £799 ($972) for the device. However, a few weeks later, he received an email from the Silicon Valley giant asking him to confirm he was not Saddam Hussein, who was on the government’s ‘Denied Parties’ list, which made it illegal for him to be sold an iPhone.
“I thought the email was spam, I was stunned to learn it was real. I was furious to be linked to Saddam,” Hussain said.
The email, in fewer words, asked Hussain to provide proof he was not the late Saddam Hussein. While the customer’s first name is different and his surname is also spelled differently, Apple staff still managed to confuse the Birmingham resident with the deposed dictator.
Apple stated that the email should never have been sent. The Silicon Valley giant issued a statement to the Independent, saying:
“We offer our sincerest apologies to Mr Hussain. Though we are required to check identity while processing a refund, the letter he received was an error and should not have been sent”.
Apple has since promised to expedite the refund for Hussain.