New customer trying to buy a phone... having an absolute nightmare. Any help?

[Anonymous]

Hi,

Apologies in advance as this will be a long one, but huge thanks to anyone who gets to the end and can help me!

I've been trying to buy a refurbished phone since Saturday morning. Unfortunately, I'm disabled and in a moment of brain fog I didn't realise my billing and shipping address had to be the same so my three cards were declined. (Billing address = mum's address, Shipping address = my temp London address)

My mum then got a call from TSB that my card had been reported for fraud. So, my friend came around so I could borrow his phone and call my bank and get the cards working again. 

I updated the address on my Starling bank account and tried to place the order again --> order denied. Chat support told me Mastercard debit cards issued by Starling are not accepted... no idea why as it's been accepted everywhere else and I've used it worldwide. 

So I tried to place an order for store collection so I could enter the correct billing address for my TSB cards. Both TSB cards are denied. Chat support said it was a website fault and to call sales on Sunday morning.

I tried the website again in the morning - denied - and so called Sales. A chargeable line so about £7 wasted trying to give O2 money! Sales couldn't place the order as their click and collect system was down. I was told that O2 would be blocking my cards anyway so I had 2 options: try a new card I hadn't tried before, or go into a store and order from them. I explained that my disability makes it very very difficult for me to visit a store, but was reassured that if I could get to a store, they'd be able to check my ID, bypass the block, and place my order. 

I tried my mum's card just in case - order declined (I imagine because the order was in my name!).

So today I went to a store. I figured that even if they couldn't bypass the block on my card, at least I could pay with cash - but noooo....the store can't place orders so they had no clue why I'd been sent there. They let me borrow their phone to speak to customer services. CS said, as I'm not a customer it's nothing to do with them and transferred me to sales. Sales confirmed that the store couldn't place the order. Sales also couldn't place the order as click and collect was still down and I don't want the phone delivered to my billing address.

So sales told me, my only option was to wait until O2 lifted the block on my cards. They couldn't tell me how long this would take. They could however tell me, that if I don't wait long enough, and use the card before the block is lifted, that the block will then be extended....

He also told me that there'd be a block on my name and both the email addresses and phone numbers he'd taken when trying to place the order for me. So I can't place an order unless I use a different email and phone number.

I'm at a complete loss. I can't buy the phone elsewhere - believe me I've looked and wouldn't be going to this much hassle otherwise! 

I can't buy the phone in store as apparently stores can't sell anything that isn't in stock and don't sell refurbished phones.

I can't buy online with any of my 3 cards, my mum's debit card, my name, my personal email, my work email, my friend's mobile and my mum's mobile.... until the block is lifted. And nobody can tell me when that might be, except to say the block will keep getting extended if I don't wait long enough.

If anyone has any advice on a way around this, or knows how long the block lasts, I'd be supremely grateful. I've been without a mobile for a month now as couldn't afford a replacement and it's so very isolating being disabled. And as a result of the exertion of getting to the store today I'm likely to be bedbound for the next few days so can't do much about it or try elsewhere!

I'm just so confused. My bank is satisfied I'm making the purchases and is authorising them. But O2 can't/won't lift the block 😕

Sorry for the length!

[MI5]

Good grief, what a mess.
O2's systems can be extremely frustrating at times can't they?
I'll tag @EmilieT to see if she can help you here.

[Anonymous]

Thank you! I've honestly never found a company so reluctant to take my money 😛

I've found the same phone for sale on Amazon... but it's through a third party retailer with no feedback. Was wanting to buy from O2 to have the security of a known "brand", a warranty I can trust, shops to visit if there's any problems etc.

But maybe I'd be better off doing what the O2 store staff suggested and risking it on Amazon/Ebay!

[MI5]

I find Amazon very good tbh and I'd certainly trust buying from there.

[Cleoriff]

@Anonymous 

Find a trusted seller on Amazon.

I have bought numerous phones from them and never had an issue at all.

Don't be tempted to buy one from Ebay though...

You can also buy a phone outright from Carphone Warehouse or other phone retailers. 

[Anonymous]

Thanks Cleoriff but as I said, the particular phone I want isn't for sale online from other retailers. The nearest Carphone Warehouse I could get it from is Basildon... I'm in central London. And as mentioned, with my disability, leaving the house is difficult enough, let alone getting to Basildon and back on the chance that they might still have it in stock when I get there seeing as can't reserve or buy online! I'll keep checking their site though, just in case! 

I could get it on a 2 year contract from EE... but aside from the fact it'd mean switching to EE, over 2 years I'd be paying over £500. Compare that to £189 for the phone, plus £180 for 2 years on my current network which includes double the data EE would give me for that price.

The retailer on Amazon isn't a seller I'm sure I can trust. They've no feedback on Amazon, limited feedback on ebay, 20 Trustpilot reviews and a very basic website with low functionality.

Or I can buy it from Amazon via Music Magpie... who are also an Amazon approved refurbisher, but who have a ton of bad reviews about using shoddy knock-off parts, supplying broken phones, and generally lacking any customer service whenever you have an issue.

Hence me wanting to buy from O2. Just be nice to know when they might lift their block on me buying things

[EmilieT]

Good morning @Anonymous , and sorry to hear about the difficulty you've had purchasing a new device! I've not come across a situation like this before, but I can definitely get someone on my end to look into it and try to find out more about that block you've mentioned. 

I'll send you a Message on the forum shortly to get a few more details - you'll be able to read it and reply to it by clicking on Messages in the top right section of your screen as shown below:

Thanks @MI5  for the mention!