No PHONE in delivery box

[QandeelR]

I have received my upgrade parcel from DPD today opened the box and only the paper work and SIM arrived! I contacted EE within 5 minutes of receiving this and was told this would be investigated and i will be contacted within 72 hours from the suppliers team. This is a joke as I have been with EE for over 8 years!! I’ve investigated this on EE community and have seen so many people having this issue with IPHONE 16 PRO MAX’s being missing from their packages! This is clearly someone from the warehouse doing this as the box came sealed. It seems like EE have had this various times in the last few months and I can see people are not getting outcomes for this and are being told they still have to pay for their contracts regardless of the phone just based on DPD having a picture delivering this. This is unacceptable and EE are clearly frauding people out of their money at this point. I am not willing to wait 72 hours to be told the same as so many people who have been conned by EE!

I need this issue to be resolved before the 72 hours as I am not willing to sit stressing that EE are going to fraud me out of a new phone I never received!! This is disgusting from such a big company effecting peoples mental health and financial situation. This needs to be posted everywhere on social media so EE can understand they can not get away with not giving people what they are paying for!

[mendez71]

I’ve experienced the exact same thing. Box delivered which appeared untampered, no phone.  EE conduct a half **bleep**d investigation totally disregarding the fact that I’ve been a customer for over 25 years.  Call me a liar and close the case expecting me to trade in the only form of communication I have (my original phone).

So on EE’s recommendation I’ve referred this to the Ombudsman only for EE to contest the right for there to be an independent review, twice.  What’s going on EE? It disgusting!

[Katie_B]

Hi @mendez71. 

Thanks so much for coming here. 

Have you been able to escalate your complaint?

What was the outcome of your last call and what department was this with?

Speak soon, 

Katie

[mendez71]

Hi Kate,

it was escalated immediately and my complaint rejected twice similar to the way described by others on this thread.  Now with the Communications Ombudsman and as stated before, EE has tried to block their investigation, twice.

i honestly believe that EE has an internal issues with devices being stolen rather than dispatched. However, rather than investigate that, they would rather brand their loyal customers as liars and force them to stay in a contract that has not been fulfilled.  Bitterly disappointed in the treatment I have received and will leave EE at the very first opportunity (after 25 years).

[Rky]

Thank you for sharing your experience, I won’t buy then; I’ll buy from apple.

[HAKEN10]

I have exactly the same issue March 30th 2025, 4 phones ordered 1 was missing out of the box, EE say we stole it, so frustrated they did a half cocked investigation never asked me for evidence the box had been tampered with.  They say go to the Ombudsman.  If enough people report it to BBC Watchdog they will investigate the case, BBC Rip Of Britain reported on it 2 weeks ago with 2 other mobile providers and DPD were the common denominator.  www.bbcwatchdog the form is easy to fill out. Do it guys this has to stop, EE need to be accountable its against the consumer credit agreement and there are protections in place if you paid for your handset by credit card under section 75 of the consumer credit act 1974

[Rky]

If you pay by credit card, are they helping you?