‘Can’t tell ya how many times…’: Man buys Toyota air filter at Walmart, then he opens the box and realizes someone got to it first

A regular trip to Walmart for a Toyota oil filter became a big problem for one shopper after he found out someone had replaced the real part with a cheap fake inside the sealed box. This situation shows why many stores are now locking up their products, and it serves as a serious warning for anyone who does their own car repairs.

TikTok user Dan2fs2ns shared the moment he realized he had been tricked by what loss-prevention experts call a “switcheroo.” According to Motor1, he noticed the box felt strange as soon as he picked it up. It was too heavy and too solid for the real Toyota cartridge filter he wanted to buy. When he opened it at home, he discovered the truth. Someone had bought the expensive part, switched it with a cheaper SuperTech unit, and returned the box for a full refund.

The creator expressed his frustration, saying, “Somebody swapped it out, paid way less than what the Toyota filter probably cost, and stole.” He added, “But I get home and have these garbage filters in here that don’t fit my car.” This is terrible news for DIY mechanics who just want to finish their maintenance quickly and correctly.

Wrong air filters can seriously damage your engine

This problem goes beyond losing a few dollars because the risks are very real. Mechanics and consumer experts are warning people that installing the wrong part can completely destroy your engine. The correct Toyota filter (part number 04152-YZZA6) is a cartridge style filter, but the cheap replacement found in the box was a completely different spin-on canister. 

These parts cannot be used in place of each other. If you tried to force that wrong part into your car, you could cause oil starvation, pressure loss, or poor filtration. This could easily lead to expensive repair bills, turning a simple twenty-dollar purchase into a costly disaster.

How do these swaps happen so easily? Auto parts are easy targets for return fraud because the packaging often hides what’s inside. A dishonest customer buys the genuine part, removes the real cartridge, replaces it with a cheap unit, and returns the box as if nothing happened. This isn’t the only clever scam targeting Walmart shoppers that has recently come to light. Staff at general customer service desks rarely open boxes to check the contents during returns.

Product-switching schemes keep growing because the profit is high and the chance of getting caught is low. Big-box stores, where returns are handled at a general service desk, are less thorough with inspections than dedicated auto parts stores. One commenter, who claimed years of shop experience, explained the problem clearly: “Can’t tell ya how many times… old wiper blades in the box. Customer service doesn’t look at the returns.”

The lesson here isn’t to panic, but to stay alert. Since return fraud isn’t the buyer’s fault, shoppers have to adapt to this new reality. People now recommend that you always check auto parts before leaving the store.

You should open the box before paying, make sure the gasket is included, and look for signs of tampering. Some experienced buyers even weigh the filter in their hand, knowing right away when something feels wrong. While parking lot disputes at Walmart often grab headlines, product fraud inside the store remains a more costly issue for everyday shoppers.