Mobile phone contract/upgrade scam

[Winterfox]

Hi community!

So I'm currently in the middle of a mobile phone contract/upgrade scam. 

I am with Three for my SIM contract and was cold called by scammers claiming to be from Carphone Warehouse and they of course offered a too-good-to-be-true phone contract. 

The caller offered an upgrade to a newer Samsung S20 with a 24-month contract. He said they said they would take a £40 security deposit and send the phone and once I received the phone, they would switch me to the new tariff immediately. So I requested a blue phone and received a parcel through DPD.

The phone that arrived was, of course, the wrong model and colour. They sent me a Samsung Galaxy S22 in black, and I know they are going to ask me to send the phone to some address where they will intercept the parcel and lock me into an expensive contract with no actual phone. The callers have been presenting themselves as from Carphone Warehouse from the number 0330 001 7772 and have been calling relentlessly in a very obviously scammy manner. Complete with Whatsapp message and terrible grammar.

So what do I do with the new phone I have, and ensure a contract hasn’t/won’t be taken out in my name?

[Northerner]

Hi @Winterfox 

Why is this anything to do with EE if you're with Three? 

DPD must have the sender's information. 

I would recommend you change any email/banking passwords and set up two stage authentication. You need to ask your bank to issue a new card and number. If you've given these people any person information then possibly expect a lot of unknown bank charges if you do nothing.

You should also report this issue to the police. 

Thanks

[James_B]

Hi @Winterfox,

Welcome to the EE Community. 🙂

Did the documents that came with the phone indicate it was from EE?

James

[Winterfox]

I haven't broken the plastic wrapping on the box. Are there documents inside the boxes usually? Otherwise, there were no documents. First thing I did was contact my bank.

DPD can't give me the address of the original sender.

EE said I have to get in touch with the third party.

Carphone Warehouse said to contact Action Fraud.

Action Fraud is…very slow.

[James_B]

Hi @Winterfox,

Yes, if the phone was sent by EE, there would have been a delivery note in the bag.

James

[Chris_B]

@Winterfox   If the phone was even ordered through the car

phone warehouse it’s not an EE contract the Carphone Warehouse don’t sell contracts for EE any more.   Did a SIM card come with the device?
What paper work came with the device? 

[Winterfox]

Ah I just noticed the security seal stickers were broken under the plastic wrap, so I went ahead and opened the box. There's a SIM card suck on the outside of the phone, which looks fake, and the packaging is clearly tampered with.

[Chris_B]

@Winterfox   I doubt the sim is fake, the device has been ordered in your name to your address by the scammers they then want you to post it back to the address they they give you.  They ordered the wrong device so you would send it back but to their address.  That’s the scam they get a device that they want and your left with the contract in your name.    You need to find out where it came from and call them.  There should be paper work with the device. 

[James_B]

What branding is on the SIM @Winterfox?

James

[chistery]

@Winterfox  have you also contacted your bank and replaced your card as they know your card details?

Also, sign up to all the free credit score companies like clearscore and credit karma so you can keep an eye on any searches and accounts.