Vodafone gave me a blacklisted phone

[Tonymel]

Hello, I handed in my faulty Iphone 4s for repair at the Bournemouth Vodafone shop in June 2014. I collected the phone from the store and was told it had been replaced by a new one which I took home. We were told we could keep the 4s as it was paid for by contract and decided to put it away for my son for Christmas. After he opened his present we put in a pay as u go sim and the phone would not work, it was locked. We have spent the last 3 months trying to sort this out with emails and phone calls to customer service, Nucre Solutions and numerous lengthy visits to the Vodafone store. After all this we have been told that the IMEI no. on the phone shows that it is stolen/blacklisted and comes from Japan! Not only that, but that nothing can be done about it as we have no proof that it is the phone handed to us in the Vodafone store. I have
the paperwork that was given to me which shows the phone was handed in for repair, and I have the box that came with the phone that has the 'blacklisted' IMEI no. on the box, red tamper stickers on the side and 'Vodafone Bournemouth Store' handwritten by someone at Vodafone on the top of the box. In all honesty how can a customer know they are being handed a stolen phone by a shop assistant unless they have the IMEI no. checked out in the store. I took the phone in good faith and think it is an incredibly unfair situation. What this means is that there could be underhand dealings going on at Vodafone, unchecked, as it is easy to fob off customers saying they have no proof. I have been very patient but as this is grossly unfair and I obviously do not want a Japanese stolen phone in my possession, I can only think of the next step would be informing the police and trading standards. So much exhausting time wasted when all we wanted was a working phone for my 11 year old son starting secondary school. Not to mention how unfair this has been on him.
Customer relations has now said that nothing can be done as I cannot prove they handed me the blacklisted phone, and I say how can they prove they didn't???

[hrym]

It's been known for IMEIs to be duplicated.   It's rare, but does seem to happen.  It's so bizarre that a phone blocked in Japan would make its way into Vodafone UK retail stock, that I think this has to be the only explanation.

I'd assume that the store has records of some kind, though the time elapsed between your receiving the phone and discovering the problem isn't in your favour on that score.  Did you try going back to the shop?   The packaging and documentation you have would appear to suuport your case, I'd have to say.

[Tonymel]

Yes we've been back to the shop three times, they said there's nothing they can do as I can't prove that the Japanese phone is the one they gave me. As I've noticed that the phones matching IMEI number is on a sticker on the box, I might try again and point this out. Although they might say I can't prove it's the box they gave me even though it has Bournemouth Vodafone written on top and red tamper stickers. I'm so tired of this but it just seems so wrong that a customer can be given a stolen phone. Thanks for replying ))

[Gemma]

Hi @Tonymel

This is strange. So we can help further, please send us your details by following the instructions in this private message.

Thanks,

Gemma