New phone - handset (IMEI) blocked!

Nick_C

I bought a new phone through Amazon UK in January. It was supplied by "Gadget Heaven". It was delivered on 28 January, and I started using it on 29 January.

My SIM only monthly contract is with Orange.

The new phone uses a micro sim card. I went into my local EE shop to try and get a new sim card. They couldn't supply one, but the manager helpfully went to an independant phone shop across the road, and got my sim card cut down to size. It worked perfectly.

On 7 March, my phone stopped working. I still had mobile data, but I couldn't make or receive calls or text messages. I went back to my local EE store, and the manager said it sounded as if the sim wasn't working properly. He provided a new sim, and I went home and waited for it to be activated.

24 hours later, my phone was still not working, so back to the EE shop. Manager again really helpful. He took the sim from his phone and put it in mine, and it didn't work, indicating it was most likely a phone problem. However, he also realised it could be a blocked IMEI. He contacted the Orange call centre who confirmed that a block had been placed on the phone. They couldn't say who had blocked it, and advised me to contact Amazon as they had sold me the phone.

I contacted Amazon, and they agreed they would give me a refund if I returned the phone to them. They did not attempt to get the block lifted. Its now on its way back to Amazon.

I also sent an enquiry to checkmend.com on Sunday. They administer the database of lost and stolen phones in the UK, based on information provided by the networks. I got an e-mail from them the next day, saying the block had been placed by T-Mobile! So I went back to the EE shop, helpful manager contacts T-Mobile call centre who say my IMEI is not on their database, as the phone has never been registered on the T-Mobile network. The manager then called the EE call centre, who told him I had to sort it out with the person who sold me the phone, and that they coundn't give me any more information because of data protection.

So I will now be without a phone for a week or two. I've ordered a new identical phone, but there is no express delivery option. This one is being supplied through Amazon by "wowcamera".

The whole experience is really frustrating and inconvenient, and I wondered what people's thoughts were.

I still don't know whether the phone was reported stolen by Gadget Heaven, or whether T-Mobile have entered an incorrect IMEI on the database. I suspect the latter.

I'm very glad that Amazon have agreed to give me a refund. As the phone was in good working order when they supplied it, then I don't see that they had to, unless the phone has indeed been blocked by Gadget Heaven.

I would really like to find out who is responsible for blocking my phone, and get a proper apology.

grumbler

I think that if it was a brand new unused phone, then the seller couldn't have blocked it.

Nick_C

The EE Manager told me that if they had a burglary and all their stock was taken, they could place a block on all that stock. He suggested a problem could occur if that day's sales were not taken off the inventory of stolen stock.

Thanks for the thought though, and I can understand why anyone might think that as the IMEI wasn't on the packaging, and the packaging was sealed.

There must be a separate list linking IMEIs with serial numbers.

Jon_01

Could have been a mistype by someone at T mobile as you suggested.

If it was it would explain why they can't find it. They'd have the real IMEI (the one they should have blocked) on their database, but not yours.

MikeWhite

Jon_01 wrote: »

Could have been a mistype by someone at T mobile as you suggested.

If it was it would explain why they can't find it. They'd have the real IMEI (the one they should have blocked) on their database, but not yours.

I don't think a mistype is likely, the 15th digit of an IMEI is a check digit. To mistype you'd need to both mistype one or more of the first 14 digits AND correctly mistype the check digit. So, a one in 10 chance of mistyping and getting the correct check digit.

Mike

macman

Why don't you contact Gadget Heaven, who are the retailer (not Amazon)? The order is simply fulfilled via Amazon, assuming that this was bought on Amazon Marketplace?

Nick_C

macman wrote: »

Why don't you contact Gadget Heaven, who are the retailer (not Amazon)? The order is simply fulfilled via Amazon, assuming that this was bought on Amazon Marketplace?

I did try, but I couldn't find any contact details for Gadget Heaven! The website makes you route the contact through Amazon.

I'm just glad that Amazon are being reasonably helpful. TBH, I've never questioned the difference between buying directly from Amazon or buying through Amazon Marketplace.