It really does look like the plastic is still on there.
I recently bought an Am Std Jazz and had a helluva time getting it off. It's like the longer it sits, the more stuck it gets. Mine came off in about 188 pieces. It was a major pain.
My issues were that the bass needed a fret level out of the box in order to set up properly. And that the finish appears to be really weak.
I've had American Standard Fenders sometimes for years with no discernible finish wear, even after tons of touring. Those poly finishes are just fairly indestructible. This one is barely a few weeks old, it's only been to a couple gigs, has been babied, and has visible chips and finish wear. It's more delicate than the thin skin nitro P I had for awhile.
I'd take a serious shot at peeling plastic off, assuming it's really, really stuck and won't want to come up. That's how mine was.
I'm not calling you a liar, because I can't actually put my hands on the bass in question, but it looks for all the world like it's still got the plastic on it. Even if it is still there though, it wouldn't excuse visible fret wear. I'd still want to return it.