I've only been with iD a few months and have been impressed up to now. eSIM delivery and activation was a breeze, good prices for SIM only and roaming too.
However. Whilst away in Paris at Christmas, my phone was stolen!
Obviously pretty upset, expensive phone, abroad and day before new years eve. Everything was on my phone, all tickets, and the route to mfa for all my accounts etc.
After tracking my device 1.6km across Paris from wife's phone I realised it probably wasn't wise to confront whoever pinched it after tracking to a very unwelcoming bar/betting shop (bad people gathering place) so promptly turned around so as not to get stabbed for new years.
iD we're great. I used the automated service to report phone stolen where the prompts tell you they will bar sim and block the imei. Awesome. Indeed after going to great lengths to prove I was who I was via live chat, iD support confirmed again all steps taken and device blocked and got me a new eSIM which ain't was able to activate on my wife's phone to at least get sms as a means to get into some accounts and the mfa.
French police couldn't be more unhelpful or disinterested even though I could show them the location of my device. I got a stamped self written crime report from them in the end.
Back to the UK.
Insurance said they would cover the device :), accepted the French police report. But insist they cannot proceed without my device being imei blocked... I thought it was... apparently not... countless checks via imei website clearly shows not bared.
iD chat told me Monday it was definitely blocked, I even confirmed imei with them and have the chat transcript. Said I needed proof, the asked me to mail a documents address. I did, waited the 5 days it said it needed. Nothing. Been in touch via live chat tonight to be told it's not blocked, they can't block it because it's sim only, and they only block mobiles bought through them! They suggested I go back to where I bought the phone, which was direct via Samsung, who clearly state on their website that the mobile operator should do this :(
At least this agent was honest.
But now I'm stuck. I've spent hours, literally, researching how to get an imei blocked and the only way it appears is via the mobile provider which the device was last used on!!!
My phone last location is now in Algeria. I thought it would be stripped for parts, but based on the fact the imei isn't blocked because there is no way to do so and my operator, the only people who could, refuse to do so, I suspect the phone will get wiped somehow and back into circulation!!!
I'm as much frustrated that the phone is easy to recirculation as I am at the prospect of not getting the money to replace a very expensive and insured phone.
What gives.
iD. Please read this and either change your policy and help fulfil the duty the rest of the world and all mobile operators support to ensure theft isn't easily rewarded. Or at least be really clear to sim only customers that you will not help them if their phone is stolen and that if it is, the benefit of a low cost some is 100 fold more expensive if your device gets stolen as your insurance becomes invalidated because iD will not fulfill an obligation and surely obvious requirement to block an imei that was obviously connected to your network!!
People need to be aware. I don't understand how it's not a legal obligation if there is no other way to get an imei block applied (unless someone can enlighten me)?
iD agents certainly aren't clear on the policy and that needs sorting too!
If I've been misinformed by my iD live chats then I'd love to be corrected and someone help me as I'm already upset at what happened, things I've lost, downer it put on new years away and now I can't recover the money of a replacement and I expect my device will go back in circulation…
Where do I need to lodge all this to get things changed. It's a joke!
