Chicago man orders iPhone 18 Pro Max. Then he gets an email saying his package has been delivered—and signed for

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Present-day mailing systems are chock-full of guarantees from beginning to end. Getting a delivery, then, is supposed to work like a charm.

But one Chicago man says a variety of failsafes didn’t keep an iPhone delivery safe. Nor did they help him track the phone down after someone snatched it.

‘I Never Signed for This Phone’

Content creator Christian Cooks (@christiancooks99) asks for advice. He says his new iPhone—delivered by FedEx—went missing. His video has accumulated more than 503,000 views.

“I just ordered the new iPhone 18 Pro Max,” Cooks says. “And I’ve been waiting on it for two weeks because it’s on backorder. And it’s not a cheap phone by any means … I have to sign for the package when it gets here.”

While working from home, Cooks got an email saying that his “package has arrived.” He went downstairs, but he says it wasn’t there.

“I look at the email and it says your package has been signed for and delivered, which is weird because I never signed for this phone,” Cooks says. “I can’t find the phone anywhere. So I decide, let me go look at the email one more time. Maybe they left a picture because … the delivery driver takes a picture of where they left it. Of course, there’s no picture whatsoever.”

Cooks says he called FedEx. The company reportedly asked if he’d “checked the surrounding areas.” Then a representative asked if he had a roommate. Cooks says he told the representative he didn’t have one. The FedEx representative allegedly responded by saying the package “was signed for by a John G…” Cooks says he doesn’t know “a single John G.”

“Customer service is like, ‘Oh, I’m sorry, sir,’” Cooks says. “’Sometimes mistakes happen. Do you happen to know where John G lives?’ I go, ‘No.’ FedEx goes, ‘Okay, we’ll put a ticket in for you.’”

The Hunt for John G.

Cooks says the building’s front desk wouldn’t tell him whether a John G lives there. But when he was walking back to his apartment, Cooks says he saw a doormat with the same last name. He says he heard a TV and a dog inside, knocked for about 10 minutes, and spoke to a Ring camera.

“Hello, is this John G?” Cooks recalls saying to the camera. “I think you might have grabbed my iPhone.”

No one answered, and the apartment went silent.

“I know this guy has my phone,” Cooks says. “There’s no other reason that he would turn everything off.”

Cooks says he slid a note with his apartment number and phone number under the door.

“I’m pretty sure I just got robbed for like $1,800,” Cooks says. “And if FedEx doesn’t help me, I will get that phone back from John G. I don’t care how it’s done … I might just go sit outside of his apartment, crisscross applesauce until he walks out.”

What Happens When FedEx Delivers Your iPhone to the Wrong Person?

FedEx’s signature options differ when it comes to who can sign for a package. “Direct” requires a signature from a person at the delivery address. “Indirect” allows a neighbor or building manager to sign for a package. “Adult” requires the person signing to be 21 or older with a valid government ID.

FedEx’s claims page says recipients can file a claim themselves or ask the merchant to file one within nine months of the shipment date. Claims have to include documentation like the tracking number and proof of value.

Apple’s shipping help page says that, for packages held by carriers, “The carrier can release the package only to the person included on the shipping address.”

Multiple viewers in Cooks’ comment section, however, urged him to call law enforcement first. Under Illinois law, a person commits theft by knowingly obtaining or exerting “unauthorized control over property of the owner.” Theft of property worth more than $500 and up to $10,000 is a Class 3 felony.

If that doesn’t move the needle, the Federal Trade Commission says credit card holders can dispute charges for goods they never received under the Fair Credit Billing Act. A written dispute must reach the issuer within 60 days of the first bill showing the charge. The issuer must acknowledge it within 30 days and resolve it within 90 days.

Subplot News reached out to Cooks, FedEx, and Apple via email.