Ask HN: iPhone serial number highjacked for a fraudulent AppleCare replacement?

I went to visit Apple to have my iPhone X serviced. I use Apple's iPhone Replacement Program, which is managed via Citizens Bank. After diagnosing the phone and finding the issue was within warranty, they began the replacement process only to find the phone had been marked replaced/ recycled.

After a bit of digging the employee brought over a manager that informed me someone must've stolen my serial number, icloud email address, and other carrier data. I can't think when I would've entered this data into any form (or conceivably think of a scenario as to why I would..).

In May someone apparently brought a broken iPhone X into an Apple Store, and used the stolen data to replace it under the valid AppleCare plan. It was suggested my serial number/ other data was fished, but that seems incredibly unlikely as I can't remember ever entering all that data.

Upon prodding the employees a bit they confirmed this means the Apple Store employee who handled the replacement would've manually had to enter the highjacked serial numbers to issue the replacement, and did not read them off the device brought in.

Has anyone experienced this? Any thoughts on how all those serial numbers were lifted? As conspiratorial as it sounds, my best guess is a weev/ ATT style breach at Verizon or Citizens Bank, coupled with complicit Apple Store employees.