If you receive a phone from three you didn't order and you are asked to return it, it is a scam

[andreapisauro]

about a month and half ago, I received a call from someone pretending to be a 3 representatives and offering me deals. I occasionally receive calls like this from 3 so it didn't sound suspicious. After telling him that I did not want to upgrade my phone, he offered me a sim only deal slightly cheaper than what I was paying now. So I said I was interested. I don't remember what exactly happened but I believe I asked to make an order for this sim only deal. I was told I would receive the sim the following day.

The following day I got a call in the morning from the same number advising me that a package with a new sim would arrive in the afternoon. Later in the afternoon a package from three arrived and it included a sim and an iphone. I was surprised as I never ordered the iphone. Shortly afterwards, the same guy called me again saying the iphone was delivered by mistake and whether he could arrange someone to pick it up. I said I wouldn't be home and then I was told I would receive a QR label and if I could please send the iphone through the post office. I received the QR label through a whatsapp number called three.co.uk.

I genuinely believed the error was real as the delivery was indeed from Three and it happened at the time I was supposed to receive the new sim. The guy on the phone looked like a somewhat incompetent employee eager to sort out his own mess. So I complied and send back the iphone through the QR label.

A few days later I logged onto my account and saw an iphone package. I recognised it was linked to the delivery I received and I immediately contacted three customer service which therefore detected the fraud.

The thing that worried me particularly was that whoever called me had access to my three account and could order the iphone that I received and then sent back to the fraudster.

Be aware that if you receive a phone you didn't order, it is likely to be a fraud.

[Mike2024]

12 weeks now... 

latest from Three:  "If you don't pay soon you may incur a £536.24 cancellation fee"

[RocketMan]

Exact thing happened to me today. 

G.M

[Mike2024]

Three could easily stop this type of scam by texting the order details to a customers phone before the order is dispatched. 

I would suggest you contact Three by Webchat only and download the conversations so you have a record.  My case is still not sorted after 3 months, I'm being told not to pay anything by one department and that I must pay urgently or else by another department..

[Donnachie]

This also happened to me today, I unfortunately was stupid enough to share my bank details and since have seen an order placed on my account. 
Do you recommend I reject the parcel from DPD or let it arrive. I don't want to receive it as it sounds like @Mike2024 has had a nightmare with it all

[KateS]

Hey @Donnachie,

I'm really sorry to hear you've been a victim of fraud and understand how worrying this must be.

You can either refuse the delivery from DPD or accept it and we can arrange a return of the device.

Can I check, have you raised this with our teams? We'll need to open a fraud investigation on the account. If not, please follow the steps here by reporting this to Action Fraud, then get in contact with our Customer Service teams. 

Thanks,
Kate

[Donnachie]

Hi Kate, yes this has been raised with your team and my account is being investigated for fraud and I have spoken with customer services. The parcel was not delivered and the order is being cancelled. 

Thank you 

[JonathanB]

Hi @Donnachie,

Thanks for confirming this, I'm sorry to hear that this has happened in the first place, but you've taken the right steps to get this addressed so far. @Mike2024 has replied with a few tips that may help you, and we have a Fraud to watch out for page on the Three website, that has lots of guidance and links which you may find helpful.

Thanks,
Jonathan

[Mike2024]

Well done for spotting the scam early. Check your bank account daily especially if you also gave them your card details - they will quickly try to use them. Alert your bank if you haven't already and cancel your card if necessary. I signed up with ClearScore for peace of mind for a few months at £4.99 monthly. You can also register with CIFAS although Three may well do that for you. You will possibly now get very many scam calls to your phone, as I did - see if your phone has a Smart block app on it to identify most of these. You can inform the police and get an incident number if you like.

My issue has only now just been sorted - 15 weeks - and I received an apology and a small amount of compensation from Three for the time taken. Hopefully yours will be resolved much quicker though!