Can the screws on brand new electrical items be threaded

the philips head or flat head screw head is a little out of original cross shape from a bit of force ie over tightening or wrong size driver used. most are like they should but one is just not quite identical to all the others

New products should be inspected and tested before they're packaged for shipment. Assuming that was done, my suspicion is you bought one that a customer tampered with, then returned it to the place you bought it from.