3 Mobile Trade In Issue

dtjones888

Hi all, I decided it was time to upgrade my phone, on February 21st I went to 3 to take out a completely new contract. When trying to choose the best handset for me the representative in store advised me that a certain handset came with a trade in offer of £360. The £360 was to be transferred to my bank account upon return of my old device. So great, decision made. 

I received the pre paid packaging in which I was to place my old device and I sent it off. It was recorded delivery and from that I found that my phone had been delivered to Ingram Micro the very next day. 

I waited for a week to pass and hadn't heard anything about my money being sent over so decided to give 3 customer services a call. I got the standard response that it may take longer than expected due to one reason or another. 

Fast forward to the present. I've emailed Ingram (who handle the handsets on 3's behalf) several times, called and been on hold for hours and heard nothing back. I've contacted 3 to make a complaint, they want to check the status but cannot do so without the phones IMEI (regardless of the fact they have all of my other details to track it down). 

So now I'm left without the money, without the phone and without any help from either Ingram or 3 to find out what is happening. 3 have said I cannot cancel as I'm now outside of my 14 day cooling off period, and they've also stated that the trade in payment doesn't form any part of my contract, even though is was the incentive to take out the contract with them.

It's also worth mentioning that the trust pilot reviews for this procedure are absolutely awful. This is clearly a common theme with 3 and their trade in offers. 

Can anyone offer some advice on who to turn to next? 

Thank you in advance 

EnPointe

businesses who deal with mobile phones use the IMEI as the primary  reference to a  device. 

typically trade in phones are unapcked,  inspected   and tested and  then streamed  refurbish , parts / materials harvest or WEEE    and referenced by their IMEI 

without the IMEI   the best they may have is  parcel tracking records of the  , often bulk, delivery . 

 you also seem to be underestmiating   the  level of  attempted fraud by cusomters in these settings