Recharge / Vodaphone deadlock

DrowninginDebt

On 28/10/18 while working in Spain, I used Recharge.com to purchase a €30 top up for my Spanish mobile phone (with fees, total cost €36.48) however didn't realise I had selected Vodaphone UK, and not ES, in the options.
The code will not work on my Spanish SIM and Recharge.com state that once the code is issued, they are unable to cancel the code and issue a refund.
I have contacted Vodaphone, both UK and Spain, and neither will help in resolving this by accepting or transferring the code.
I have also offered the code to friends but no takers! Now I am left with a Vodaphone UK code that is useless to me and €36.48 out of pocket! Is it possible to resolve this? Cheers!

pmduk

Taking this logically, Vodafone ES are unlikely to help you, they haven't seen the cash and didn't issue the code.

I've never dealt with either Vodafone ES or Recharge.com, so I can't speak for their T&Cs.

I'm not aware of any network that will refund a top-up, so your only option is to redouble your efforts to sell it on, possibly at a bigger discount than you've previously offered. Make sure you check how long the code is valid for before you finalise any transaction.

Perhaps it'd be better to buy a Vodafone UK sim? Certainly, I'd be topping up directly with my network rather than confusing matters with a third party intermediary.

I'm sorry if you thought someone would have a magic answer to make Vodafone cough up for your own mistake - It's unlikely to happen, I fear

grumbler

Options:

1. get Vodafone UK SIM, top it up and use it in Spain to spend the credit. Calls to other EU countries can be cheaper than with a Spanish SIM. I don't think that Voda send their free SIMs abroad, but you can try ebay - https://www.ebay.co.uk/b/Vodafone-Pay-As-You-Go-Mobile-Phone-SIM-Cards/29778/bn_2880023
2. try selling the code on Ebay UK (pretty risky for a code)