Hidden Treasures! Digging Through Apple Store Trash Bins Has Become a Trend

Social media has been flooded with videos of people searching through bins behind Apple stores looking for devices and accessories.

Dumpster diving for Apple products has become a viral trend, with videos surfacing across social media showing people rummaging through trash bins behind Apple stores and claiming to find valuable gadgets and accessories. The idea of discovering expensive Apple devices for free is certainly appealing, but there's more to the story than meets the eye.

One such video recently circulated on Instagram, where the creator shows how she found a dumpster full of Apple product boxes at an unnamed store in the U.S. Initially, she was disappointed because the AirPods Max boxes were empty, but alongside them, she discovered a bag full of Apple Watch accessories, mostly bands. As she later mentioned in the comments, she managed to sell everything for $3,000.

Her story isn't unique. On YouTube, especially, you can find videos of people boasting about finding piles of discarded iPads, iPhones, or Apple computers, supposedly thrown out by store employees.

But don't be fooled: many of these videos are simply fake. Some people, seeking attention on social media, go as far as buying Apple products, tossing them into the trash behind a store, and then filming themselves as if they're making an incredible discovery. According to Apple employees, the company never throws away used electronics. Instead, they are returned to the company for refurbishment or used as parts. The views that they receive on the videos can quickly cover the cost of the products that they purchased.

The only way someone might find an iPhone in the trash is at unauthorized stores, such as out-of-warranty service centers, or in an electronic waste dump. However, in such cases, the devices are likely to be severely damaged, and not worth anything.

Accessories like the aforementioned bands, cases, keyboards, mice, or headphones are a different story. There is a possibility of finding these types of accessories in large dumpsters at shopping centers. In the U.S., entire communities have formed around this type of treasure hunting, where they share tips and the best spots for "dumpster diving."