No phone in parcel upon delivery - only case & screen protector! EE useless!

[kadie2]

I have always been so happy with their services UNTIL NOW!

I upgraded 2 lines with EE (OCT 24)  and took out insurance which came with a free minute one bundle (phone case and screen protector) with each phone. When DPD delivered the two parcels, one parcel had the Google pixel 9 and the minute one bundle in, the other just had the minute one bundle in NO PHONE OR PHONE BOX, for reference I was expecting a google pixel 9 PRO in this one!  packaging had no 'obvious' signs of tampering upon receiving, but weight difference was obvious, before opening I presumed the phones were in one and the minute one bundles was in the other, but that was clearly not the case once I opened and discovered I was missing a phone.

Despite numerous disputes to the supply chain and emailing the CEO of EE, speaking with EE executive complaints the cases just keep being closed and now I am paying for a phone I haven't got! I have spoken to numerous agents that have been awful, unhelpful, lack of knowledge about processes, generally unprofessional and rude, and to top it off one even called me a liar and said he could tell from the DPD delivery photo the phone was in the bag?!

Iv reported it to the police but they said there isn't much they can do to help me unless further evidence comes to light, which EE will not provide! I offered to pay the insurance excess of £100 to claim it as lost/stolen in the interim of me generating an ombudsman case so at least I'm paying for a phone I have ACTUALLY got, but they won't allow me to do that either, so I'm also paying for insurance I am being blocked from using too!

I have no idea if it's a DPD or EE warehouse issue as I haven't been provided any evidence from either companies just 'told over the phone' the weight checks were right so apparently that's sufficient for them to close the case and mark it as received.

I keep being told to go to the financial ombudsman, and have had a final response letter from EE stating this, which I am doing but they have a 4+ week back log right now and I'm just finding the whole situation is seriously affecting me mentally and financially and I'm desperate for a speedy resolution rather than a long winded dispute via a third party with no guarantees of a resolution.

I have been with EE for over 10 years, never missed a payment had multiple lines and remained loyal, however this has absolutely smashed my trust and going forward I am terrified to sign up for any contracts over the phone in fear of this situation repeating, which is leaving me stranded as I have since cancelled everything else I have with EE now due to this ongoing nightmare.

I am aware posting on here will not resolve my personal dispute, however I am wondering if anyone else in the Manchester area or elsewhere has experienced this? I think it would be helpful if we can form an alliance and prove there is an issue within the EE/DPD order processing system, as EE have discarded me and are consecutively saying 'this never happens'. which I now know is untrue as I have been contacted by @Tendai_G on another post stating they are in the same situation!

[kadie2]

I am 100% on board with taking action against EE, I'm so fed up of seeing o
there come forward and feeling as though we are all helpless in this awful
situation, I am currently awaiting a response from the ombudsman but this
has been dragging on for me since Oct 24 and it's mentally and financially
tiring.

There is clearly a loophole in their package departments that is allowing
this to keep happening and they refuse to accept any responsibility or
assistance, they just pass the book, and then your stick in a he said she
said situation that is more likely to favour a 'big well known' company
over an individual which is really unfair.

I really don't want to hand over £100s of my hard earned money for a phone
I don't have but still need!

[Kangeret]

I totally agree with you. Mine is with the ombudsman as well. It's draining
,

[mitchs93]

Sorry to hear that EE have claimed another victim to their inabilities to ensure products are being delivered to their customers. We had exactly the same issue with a tablet in December. We went through EE complaints and to the financial ombudsman who found EE to be practicing legally. 4 months down the line we are without a device, no resolution and paying for something we haven't got. On a positive note, we have a free £10 tablet case that was delivered with the no tablet. Top company EE. Hopefully you have a better outcome than we have.

[Kangeret]

Yeah I'm still holding on to a tempered glass and invoice. I wonder how
they are allowing all this to go on without even being investigated further

[HAKEN10]

Hi I just wanted to let you know this is STILL happening and EE and DPD are washing their hands of it. We ordered on a contract 4 new Iphone16 pro max.  1 phone arrived  but then 3 others were with another DPD driver. We were in the house, and he claims to have knocked on the door and we didn't answer so he left a card shoved in our door seal.  We rearranged delivery for Sunday 30th March  the phones arrived with two other parcels. DPD driver placed three phones onto of one other parcel that was delivered took the pin code from us and said "are these mobile phones" my husband didn't reply, the phones were face down so you could see if they had been tampered with.  2 phones were present one the box had been sliced open and glued back down in two places the box weight difference is the weight of the phone.  Reported it to EE within 15 minutes of the delivery, after numerous calls for hours on end  and days EE won't accept the phone is missing, my husbands is beside himself as these are not cheap items.  DPD say it was the right weight when they left their warehouse, so that can conclude that Andrew the DPD driver is a thief! I have reported it to the police and have a crime number, we will cancel our EE contract but of 1 phone we will have to pay for because we have nothing but an empty box which is still sealed up by the way as evidence, and we have to go out and buy another phone. EE don't care and neither do DPD. So I am going to ombudsman and I am going to investigate it legally. DPD are a disgrace and I will not order anything if it's being delivered by them ever again.  As for EE they can shove their phone contract where the sun doesn't shine and as soon as my board band is out of contract with them, that will be going too.  They are thieves! 

[kadie2]

It's horrible isn't it, I totally understand your frustration, 6 months
down the line for me and I'm still fighting trying to get justice, whilst
paying for a phone I have never received, they kept telling me this never
happens but clearly it does, EE never took me seriously from the offset and
was super quick to pass me onto that ombudsman as it stops them having to
do any further investigations themselves, I knew that hence why I set this
forum up! I was certain I couldn't be the only person this happened to.
It's just soul destroying.

The ombudsman told me earlier this week that they have requested further
information from EE and have allowed a 7 day turnaround for this so I'm
praying for my case to be closed in my favour soon, but you just never
know, it depends how clever the criminals running this illegal scheme are,
and wether there is enough evidence to prove I am innocent 😞 I'm still in
need of a new phone too but I have held out all this time in a hope I don't
have to pay twice! Il keep this forum updated of my progress. I hope you
get justice, keep fighting 💪🏼

[Kangeret]

Well good luck with the ombudsman. I wonder why they are not reacting to
these serious issues. As for me I have just accepted that l am paying for
something I do not have. I cannot afford to buy another phone when ee is
deducting money for a handset I never received. My loss but who cares