Walmart Canada has launched an investigation after a Toronto-area man purchased an iPad from one of its stores and received a piece of clay in the box instead.

Sasitharan Nadarajah spent nearly $1,000 at a local Walmart in Brampton, Ont., to buy a new iPad Pro as a birthday gift for his mother.

But when she opened her gift in front of her birthday party guests on Sunday morning, Nadarajah said they were all shocked to see the box actually contained a flattened piece of clay putty weighing almost the same as an iPad.

“When I see the clay, then I think ‘Okay is something under the clay?’ but there was nothing there, not even a charger,” he told CTV Toronto.

Nadarajah said he bought the iPad, which was sealed in plastic wrap, from a local Walmart where it was kept inside of a locked case. He returned it to the store after his mother’s birthday party and was told an investigation would be launched.

Three days later, Nadarajah contacted CTV News when he didn’t hear from Walmart.

“They didn’t even give me an iPad or give me my money back or nothing yet,” he said.

A spokesperson for Walmart Canada said the company is investigating.

“As a customer service gesture, we have provided our customer with a full refund while we continue to look into this matter,” the statement said.

It’s a welcome relief to Nadarajah who said he’s received his refund and plans to buy his mother an iPad from the Apple store.

With a report from CTV Toronto’s Consumer Reporter Pat Foran