Blacklist iPhone

[RITA_S]

I've bought an iPhone with a 24 month contract on Vodafone through Carphone Warehouse. 

The iPhone has been stolen and Vodafone is refusing to blacklisting it stating it needs to be done by the third party. Both Apple and Carphone Warehouse have re-ensured me only the network provider can do this but after contacting dozens of times the customer support and requesting it now four times over the last 3 weeks I still haven't managed to get this resolved. 

Has anyone been through the same? 

It's totally unacceptable - the lack of communication, clarity and support offered. Not to mention the fact I paying for a contract I cannot use and I can get a replacement form my insurance company while this is not sorted.

[WelshPaul]

Only a Mobile Network can blacklist a handset (EE, Vodafone, O2 etc). Vodafone customer services will refuse the Blacklisting any handset used on their network that was purchased SIM free or from third parties such as Carphone Warehouse.

[RITA_S]

Thank you for your help. 

Any idea how I can then get this blacklisted then? Or should I just ask Vodafone for a letter of refusal?

[WelshPaul]

What I said is correct. Vodafone have a duty to blacklist any phone used on their network at the time of the theft regardless of where it was purchased but Vodafone Customer Services will always refuse to blacklist them. There have been many posts about this practice on this very forum! Sure, going down the social media route will get a phone blacklisted but this shouldn't be the way to get it done and yet after all this time Vodafone CS continue to refuse blacklist requests.

[Scullykiwi84]

I have the same  issue,   its an absolute joke that Vodafone continue to refuse blacklisting. Phone was stolen and was told they wont blacklist because I bought from a third party. Third party says it has to be vodafone. I've also had issues with their proof of usage form request, after waiting the required turn around time and not recieving it, Vodafone appeared to not have recieved it. Very unhappy customer. Will be changing network providers asap. 

[BandOfBrothers]

It's just not good enough is it @Scullykiwi84  😕 

They have to blacklist it as a shop / seller cannot.

And as long as it's been used on the Vodafone network they can blacklist it.

https://www.vodafone.co.uk/help-and-information/complaints/code-of-practice. 

I wish you all the best with this.

[Gemma]

@Scullykiwi84 - I'm sorry to hear you're having this experience, especially after having your phone stolen. @BandOfBrothers is right in saying, as long as the phone has been used on the Vodafone network, then we can blacklist it. I've checked our internal 'Support guides' and they also confirm this. 

I'd like my team to look into the misadvise you've been given and feed it back internally. Please contact us through Social Media and include a link to this post. We can also check if we've received the proof of usage request. 

[Scullykiwi84]

I can send you the web chat proof of refusal to blacklist the phone. After repeatedly telling the agent they were wrong and refusing to back down i was put onto a manager that eventually did it. This took an hour and half on webchat to get a result. Very poor performance! 
also still no proof of usage form after a week……just another thing I now have to chase up.