After leaked images of what appears to be the next version of Windows Phone 8, dubbed Windows Phone Blue, found its way to the Web, it didn't take long for Microsoft to spot it and take swift action. The software giant went after the person, known as ChinaMan28 on Reddit, and ensured that he hand over the handset.

Microsoft was able to catch up with ChinaMan28, whose real name is Joshua Wong, as the images he posted of Windows Phone Blue on Reddit, contained his phone number as well. Microsoft called Wong and requested that Lumia 920 be returned to the company. However, Microsoft did not threaten Wong with legal actions. According to The Verge, which had the chance to speak to Wong, Microsoft actually replaced the handset with a brand new Nokia Lumia 920 that does not contain an operating system under development.

Furthermore, Microsoft refunded Wong the sum he had paid to buy the device via eBay. Additionally, the company remotely bricked the Lumia 920 with the prototype software so that the handset is rendered useless. 

"I was incredibly surprised at the lack of intimidation and even more surprised at their accommodation," Wong said.

It's not very clear how the Lumia 920 ended up on eBay. Maybe a Microsoft employee had managed to lose the phone in the wild or maybe it was stolen. 

Anyways after Wong boughtthe device on eBay, he realized that the operating system running on the handset was not Windows Phone 8, as many things were completely different. That was when Wong decided to take screenshots of this mysterious version of the operating system and post it on Reddit for the whole world to see.

This is not the first time a technology company has lost or misplaced a prototype device that has ended up in the hands of an unsuspecting person. Does anyone remember when iPhone 4 prototype got lost and ended up in the hands of a Gizmodo blogger? Well, it didn't go well for that person as Steve Jobs and Apple were very upset over the issue and they turned aggresive and litigious.