Year-end party iPhone prank leaves Chinese office worker furious

At a company celebration on Feb. 5 in Zhuhai, Guangdong Province, a man named Jiang Jiang was announced as the winner of the special prize, described by management as the latest iPhone worth 10,000 yuan (US$1,400), according to local outlet QQ.

Hoping to surprise his wife, Jiang brought the unopened box home and let her open it. But instead of a phone, the box contained only a few candies and two ceramic tiles meant to mimic the phone’s weight. Jiang later posted a video showing the packaging looked professional and even included an invoice listing the full retail price.

An event organizer later admitted that the iPhone had been swapped out as part of a prank meant to entertain guests, claiming it was not meant to target Jiang specifically. The company’s director and other staff reportedly had no idea about the stunt.

Although the company eventually bought Jiang a real phone as compensation, he said he was still unhappy, arguing that forging an invoice to trick employees was humiliating and crossed the line from harmless fun into disrespect.

Jiang’s case was one of several year-end party controversies in China.

In another incident in Hangzhou, electric vehicle company Leapmotor faced criticism after employees described its year-end party as being held in a freezing warehouse with no toilets or lunch. Staff were told to bring their own food and sit through long speeches, despite the company reporting record revenue and offering prizes such as iPhone 17 devices.

Leapmotor chairman Zhu Jiangming later apologized in writing, admitting serious management failures and acknowledging that employees felt ignored and undervalued.

Both incidents sparked online debate, with many arguing that tasteless pranks and excessive cost-cutting at workplace celebrations can seriously damage morale and trust.